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(Reuters) - Sunoco Inc announced
exclusive talks with private equity firm Carlyle Group LP on a potential joint
venture to run the biggest refinery on the U.S. East Coast, saying it would
delay a planned closure of the Philadelphia plant by a month.
The talks with Carlyle could save the 330,000 barrel-per-day refinery
from permanent closure, easing concerns that the East Coast may face a fuel
shortage this summer after several major plants were shuttered.
Oil
markets are closely watching to see if Sunoco finds a buyer for the plant, one
of three refineries on the East Coast threatened with closure due to weak
profits. It first put the plant up for sale in late 2011, but has failed to find
much interest from traditional energy firms. |
