TNK-BP may buy half of Russia's Itera

The Russian independent gas producer Itera is likely to sell half of its assets to Russian-British joint venture TNK-BP, a Russian business daily said on Tuesday.
Last week Itera Vice President Alexander Berezikov announced the company's plans to sell 50 percent of its assets to an investor "that would attract investment and technologies to the company, allowing it to develop more dynamically."
Berezikov told Vedomosti that Itera was in talks with possible investors, but did not reveal who they were.
However, two sources close to TNK and Intera told the paper that TNK-BP was one of the most likely candidates.
"No documents have been signed yet; talks are underway and we aim to get the deal," a source close to TNK shareholders told the paper.
A successful deal would make TNK Russia's leading privately-owned gas extracting company.