Libya's National Oil Corporation and Indian mobile phone company Essar are among the bidders for oil giant ShellÔÇÖs UK refinery, according to reports.
US oil refiner Valero and a Saudi Arabian investment firm are also expected to make offers, according to the Sunday Times.
ShellÔÇÖs Stanlow complex near Ellesmere Port in Cheshire is the companyÔÇÖs only refinery in the UK and currently produces a sixth of the countryÔÇÖs petrol.
The complex is being sold alongside two German refineries at Heide and Harburg. Shell, which is struggling with a slump in profits due to a huge cost base and low oil prices, hopes to make around £1.5 billion from the sales.
Following its announcement in July that net profits had fallen by 70 per cent, Shell confirmed that it would be making substantial cuts to its global workforce of 102,000. The Stanlow refinery currently employs around 800.
The company also plans to reduce capital spending by around 10 per cent.
Libya has already made several investments in the UK, reflecting its wider aim to firm up its presence in Europe. Last month, it bought Oxford Street office complex Portman House for £155 million.
China is another nation interested in the UKÔÇÖs energy assets. Chinese state-owned oil company PetroChina is currently in talks with chemical manufacturer Ineos about buying a stake in its Grangemouth refinery.
Final bids for Stanlow are due on August 17.
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