Mero bids $125 mln for Shell refiner stake -report

PRAGUE, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Czech oil pipeline operator Mero has offered $125 million for Royal Dutch Shell (Amsterdam: RDSA.AS - news) 's 16.3 percent stake in the main Czech refinery, daily Hospodarske Noviny reported, citing unnamed sources.

The bid for the stake in Ceska Rafinerska, 51.2 percent owned by PKN Orlen's Czech unit Unipetrol , is lower than analysts' estimates that it should fetch $200 million.

Mero's CEO Jaroslav Pantucek said talks would last several months but declined to comment on any offer or price.

"The negotiations are going on, and of course price offers have started being negotiated somewhat, so I think there is a rather wide range," Pantucek told Reuters. Earlier this week, PKN's chief executive Jacek Krawiec was quoted as saying Unipetrol was unlikely to bid for the Rafinerska stake, adding Mero would be a good partner. [ID:nL2331173]

Shell (LSE: RDSB.L - news) has not confirmed it is selling the stake and was not immediately available for comment on Thursday.

Italy's Eni (Milan: ENI.MI - news) owns a 32.4 percent stake in the Czech refinery.

Czech politicians have raised concerns about the prospect of Russian buyers for the stake, further increasing the country's reliance on Russia for energy. [ID:nLM562929] (Reporting by Jan Korselt, writing by Jason Hovet, editing by Will Waterman)