TNK-BP International Ltd., BP Plc (BP/)’s Russian oil venture with a group of billionaires, raised third- quarter profit 57 percent on higher crude prices and output. Net income rose to $2.27 billion from $1.45 billion a year earlier, TNK-BP said today in a statement distributed to reporters in Moscow. Russian oil producers benefited from a 48 percent jump the price of Urals crude, the benchmark export blend, from the same period last year. TNK-BP, the country’s third-largest oil producer, increased output 1.6 percent to 1.56 million barrels a day, excluding its stake in its OAO Slavneft venture, according to the statement. Revenue climbed 34 percent to $15.3 billion, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization increased 40 percent to $3.58 billion. TNK-BP cut its net debt to $5.08 billion from $5.27 billion at the end of the June. Capital spending climbed to $1.3 billion from $1.1 billion in the year-earlier period. The venture is in the “final stages” on talks to acquire a stake in Brazilian oil and gas blocks with HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA, Chief Financial Officer Jonathan Muir said today. The companies may complete a partnership agreement this year, HRT Chief Executive Officer Marcio Mello said yesterday. OAO TNK-BP Holding (TNBP), the venture’s traded unit, slumped 1.2 percent today to 80 rubles in Moscow. To contact the reporter on this story: Anton Doroshev in Moscow at adoroshev@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Sweetman at msweetman@bloomberg.net

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