SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (SA:PETR4) said in a statement on Thursday it is in exclusive talks for 60 days with Mexico's Alpek (MX:ALPEKA) over the potential sale of PetroquimicaSuape and Citepe assets in Brazil's northeast.
Mexico's Alpek (MX:ALPEKA) is the petrochemicals unit of Mexican conglomerate Alfa (MX:ALFAA).
Petrobras' subsidiary PetroquimicaSuape in the state of Pernambuco had revenues of 1 billion reais ($304 million) in 2015 and posted a net loss of 65 million reais. Citepe, also in the Pernambuco, had revenues of 633 million reais and posted a loss of 817 million reais in 2015.
Petrobras, as Brazil's state oil company is known, has been trying to speed up a plan to divest $14.4 billion in assets to cut its debt load.
In addition, to the potential sale of its petrochemical assets in Pernambuco, the company is trying to settle on a sale structure for its distribution division Petrobras Distribuidora.
It is also reported to be seeking a buyer for its stake in Latin America's largest petrochemical company Braskem SA.
($1 = 3.2885 Brazilian reais)