MOSCOW, Dec 25 (Reuters) - Russia's anti-monopoly service has allowed Gazprom Neft SIBN.MM, the oil arm of gas export monopoly Gazprom GAZP.MM, to buy half of Rosneft's ROSN.MM unit Tomskneft, Gazprom Neft's spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
Last week, sources close to the deal told Reuters that state-controlled Rosneft will equally split the 240,000 barrels-per-day unit with Gazprom from January to give the gas group a bigger role in the oil sector.
The Gazprom Neft spokeswoman declined to give other details of the possible deal. A source close to Gazprom Neft earlier told Reuters the firm would pay $3.66 billion for the stake.
Gazprom, the world’s largest gas producer, has repeatedly said it wants to expand its oil business but has not acquired many oil assets since it bought Gazprom Neft, then called Sibneft, from billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2005. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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