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Factbox-Lukoil international assets facing disruptions from US sanctions

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on November 10, 2025

4 min read

· Last updated: January 21, 2026

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Factbox-Lukoil international assets facing disruptions from US sanctions
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(Reuters) -Russia's second-largest oil producer, Lukoil, is facing growing disruptions to its international operations following U.S. sanctions and Washington's refusal to approve the sale of its

Factbox-Lukoil international assets facing disruptions from US sanctions

Overview of Lukoil's International Assets

(Reuters) -Russia's second-largest oil producer, Lukoil, is facing growing disruptions to its international operations following U.S. sanctions and Washington's refusal to approve the sale of its overseas assets to Swiss commodity trader Gunvor.

Lukoil's global footprint spans upstream oil and gas projects, refining, and fuel retail networks across Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.

The company produces half a million barrels of oil per day outside of Russia, or 0.5% of global oil output, in countries such as Iraq, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

Upstream Operations

Below are details about its international assets:

Middle East

UPSTREAM OPERATIONS

MIDDLE EAST

Lukoil operates Iraq's 480,000 barrel-per-day West Qurna 2 oilfield, one of the world's largest, and holds a 75% stake.

Lukoil has declared force majeure at the field, after Iraq halted all cash and crude payments to the company, sources told Reuters.

In Egypt, Lukoil holds a 50% stake in the West Esh El Mallaha (WEEM) and WEEM Extension oilfields alongside Egypt's Tharwa Petroleum. It also holds a 24% stake in the Meleiha concession while Italy's Eni holds the remainder.

In the UAE it holds 10% of the Ghasha offshore concession, a large gas and condensate project, operated by ADNOC.

Central Asia

CENTRAL ASIA

Lukoil holds stakes in major Kazakh oil and gas projects, including 13.5% in Karachaganak and 5% in Tengiz. It also has a 12.5% stake in the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which exports oil from Tengiz to the Black Sea.

The company also owns nearly 20% of the BP-operated Shah Deniz gas field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.

Lukoil also operates the South-West Gissar gas field in Uzbekistan and holds a 90% stake in the Kandym fields development near the country's border with Turkmenistan.

Africa and Latin America

AFRICA AND LATIN AMERICA

Lukoil has upstream interests in several offshore exploration blocks in West Africa, including in Cameroon, Nigeria and Ghana, as well as a 25% interest in Congo's LNG producing Marine XII block which is operated by Eni.

In Mexico Lukoil also has stakes in several offshore blocks where it partners with Italy's Eni. It also has a 50% stake in the Amatitlan onshore block, operated by Petrolera de Amatitlan SAPI de CV. REFINING ASSETS

Refinery Operations

BULGARIA Lukoil owns the 190,000 barrel-per-day Neftohim Burgas refinery, the largest in the Balkans. In response to the sanctions, Bulgaria's parliament recently passed legislation allowing the government to take control of the refinery, citing national security concerns. It also stepped up security measures at the site ahead of the potential takeover.

ROMANIA

In Romania, Lukoil fully owns the country's 48,600 barrel-per-day Petrotel refinery. The Romanian government has said it will scrutinise any proposed asset sales to ensure compliance with EU regulations and to safeguard energy security.

NETHERLANDS

Lukoil's trading arm Litasco holds a 45% stake in the Zeeland refinery, a 180,000 barrel-per-day facility operated as a joint venture with France’s TotalEnergies.

Fuel Retail Business

FUEL RETAIL BUSINESS

FINLAND

Lukoil fully owns Teboil, one of Finland's largest fuel retailers with approximately 430 stations. Some Teboil stations have begun running out of fuel due to halted deliveries linked to the sanctions, daily Helsingin Sanomat reported.

MOLDOVA

Lukoil owns the only plane refuelling facility and the fuel storage site at the country's only international airport in Chisinau. Moldova has requested a temporary exemption from Washington for Lukoil to continue operating in the country.

UNITED STATES

There are also about 200 Lukoil-branded petrol stations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. The Russian company entered the U.S. market in the early 2000s by acquiring local stations, including Mobil-branded stations from ConocoPhillips.

OTHER

Lukoil has a significant retail presence in several countries. It is one of the top players in Moldova and Bulgaria, operates around 600 petrol stations in Turkey, where it also has significant oil storage, and more than 300 petrol stations in Romania.

(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo, Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow, Robert Harvey and Anna Hirtenstein in London, America Hernandez in Paris, Essi Lehto and Elviira Luoma in Finland, Georgi Slavov and Stoyan Nenov in Bulgaria; editing by Jason Neely)

Key Takeaways

  • Lukoil's international operations face disruptions due to US sanctions.
  • Sanctions block the sale of Lukoil's assets to Gunvor.
  • Lukoil's operations span Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas.
  • Key projects in Iraq, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan are affected.
  • Bulgaria and Romania are taking measures concerning Lukoil's refineries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lukoil?
Lukoil is Russia's second-largest oil producer, involved in oil and gas exploration, refining, and retail operations across various countries.
What is upstream oil production?
Upstream oil production refers to the exploration and extraction of crude oil and natural gas from the earth.
What is a refinery?
A refinery is an industrial facility where crude oil is processed and converted into useful products such as gasoline, diesel, and other petrochemicals.
What is fuel retailing?
Fuel retailing involves the sale of fuel products, such as gasoline and diesel, to consumers at service stations or fuel outlets.

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