A March 29 binding-bids deadline set for participants of a tender offering a 50.1 percent stake in ELPE (Hellenic Petroleum) will need to be extended by a few days as officials require more time to finalize details of the privatization’s sale and purchase (SPA) and shareholder (SHA) agreements, sources have informed.

The Greek privatization fund TAIPED, energy ministry and potential buyers are currently consulting on these details.

Energy minister Giorgos Stathakis has apparently raised certain objections and is awaiting responses from the privatization fund and investors, sources have informed.

Also, a US trip made last week by the energy minister to a major energy conference in Houston, Texas has contributed to the overall procedure’s delay, prompting the need for a binding-bids deadline extension.

Sources informed a few extra days beyond the March 29 date will be needed, while some believe the deadline could be stretched to around April 10.

Two bidding teams are participating in the ELPE tender. Glencore, an early qualifier, has been joined by US firm Carlyle, while Vitol, the other early contestant, has formed an alliance with Algeria’s Sonatrach.