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OMV Group has confirmed that it is to begin the process of selling up to 100 percent of its wholly owned subsidiary OMV Petrol Ofisi A. S., a key player Turkish oil market and a leading supplier of marine fuels.

"OMV is currently selecting its advisors to support the potential transaction and the structuring of the envisaged process. A potential transaction is aimed at optimizing OMV's integrated portfolio in a challenging market environment," the Vienna-headquartered oil and gas company said in a statement.

OMV Petrol Ofisi is a leading player in the Turkish fuel distribution industry. With 1,785 fuel stations, the company operates the largest retail station network in Turkey and is a leading fuels supplier to commercial and industrial customers.

In addition, OMV Petrol Ofisi owns the largest fuel storage and logistics business in Turkey with a total storage capacity in excess of 1 million cubic metres. The company is also the largest distributor of lubricants in Turkey.

In the Turkish bunker market, OMV Petrol Ofisi is estimated to have a market share of around 20 percent, with annual sales of approximately 400,000 metric tonnes.

The company's total sales volume in 2015 amounted to around 10 million tonnes.