RIO DE JANEIRO (Dow Jones)--Along with its assets in Argentina, ExxonMobil Corp. (XOM) also wants to sell its assets in Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile, the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper said Tuesday.
According to Nestor Cervero, the international director at Brazil's state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR), or Petrobras, Exxon has already hired a bank to advise it with the sale, the paper reported.
ExxonMobil and Petrobras press officials in Rio de Janeiro contacted by Dow Jones Newswires had no immediate comment.
ExxonMobil's distribution director in Brazil, Leonardo Gadotti, said he was "surprised" to hear about a supposed sale of the company's assets in Brazil, the newspaper reported.
Petrobras still hasn't made a proposal for ExxonMobil's assets yet, Cervero is quoted saying.
ExxonMobil has 1,800 service stations in Brazil and 500 in Argentina under the Esso brand.
Buying ExxonMobil's service stations would push Petrobras' market share in Brazilian distribution close to 50% from its current 41% and could cause problems with antitrust regulators.
ExxonMobil had set a Monday deadline for interested parties to submit offers to buy its Argentine unit, Argentine newspapers said Monday.
Petrobras is reportedly the strongest buyer candidate.
Media reports have put a $200 million price tag on the sale, although one industry official told Dow Jones Newswires that "a good deal for Exxon would be $500 million, minimum."
Source: Bernd Radowitz, Dow Jones Newswires; +5521-2553-7322; bernd.radowitz@dowjones.com