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Case No COMP/M.3573 - CONOCO / LUKOIL / NMN / JV

Only the English text is available and authentic.

REGULATION (EEC) No 139/2004 MERGER PROCEDURE

Article 6(1)(b) NON-OPPOSITION Date: 05/11/2004

Also available in the CELEX database Document No 32004M3573

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 05-XI-2004

SG-Greffe(2004) D/205106/205107

MERGER PROCEDURE ARTICLE 6(1)(b) DECISION

SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURE

PUBLIC VERSION

To the notifying parties

Dear Madam(s) and/or Sir(s),

Subject: Case No. COMP/M.3573 ñ LUKOIL/CONOCO-PHILLIPS/JV Notification of 29.09.2004 pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1139/2004 Publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities No. C 247, 16.10.2004, page 9.

1.On 29.09.2004 the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 by which the undertakings OAO Lukoil (ìLukoilî, Russia) and ConocoPhillips (ìConocoî, USA) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Council Regulation joint control of OOO Naryanmarneftegaz (ìNMN, Russia), presently an indirect subsidiary of Lukoil, by way of purchase of shares

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are :

-- for Conoco: active worldwide in the exploration, processing, marketing and transportation of oil and gas;

-- for Lukoil: active in the exploration, processing, marketing and transportation of oil and gas mainly in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and other countries of central and eastern Europe;

1OJ L 24, 29.1.2004 p. 1.

Commission europÈenne, B-1049 Bruxelles / Europese Commissie, B-1049 Brussel - Belgium. Telephone: (32-2) 299 11 11.

-- for NMN: exploration of and production from new crude oil reserves in a greenfield sector of the northern Russian Federation.

3.After examination of the notification, the Commission has concluded that the notified operation falls within the scope of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004 and of paragraph 5, subparagraph a) and b), of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 .

4.For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the common market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 139/2004.

For the Commission,

signed Mario MONTI Member of the Commission

2Available on DG COMP website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/mergers/legislation/consultation/simplified_tru.pdf.

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