LONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - U.S. private equity giant

Carlyle is exploring options to buy foreign assets from Russian

oil major Lukoil, three sources familiar with the situation

said.

Carlyle is at the early stages of exploring a possible

purchase of the assets, one of the sources said.

It is looking at the option of filing for a U.S. licence and

then beginning due diligence, the source said, adding that it

could still decide to walk away.

Carlyle has made Lukoil aware of its intentions, a second

source said.