To fuel growth ambitions in United Kingdom, Essar Oil UK, the operator of Stanlow refinery, has acquired some strategic assets from BP to boost its logistics infrastructure network in Britain.

Under the agreement, Essar UK, a unit of Essar Group, will acquire an equity stake in the UKOP pipeline, a share of the contractual joint venture (with Shell) which runs the Kingsbury Terminal and a 100 percent interest in the Northampton Terminal.

The BP assets are being acquired by two wholly owned subsidiaries of Essar Oil - Essar Midlands Limited and InfraNorth Limited.

"Essar continues to have great faith in the UK market, which represents an important part of the group’s strategic business growth ambitions. The acquisition of these BP assets further demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to investing in and growing their businesses within the United Kingdom," said S. Thangapandian, chief executive officer, Essar Oil UK.

Since acquiring the Stanlow manufacturing complex in July 2011, Essar had invested nearly $1 billion in building a profitable and sustainable UK business.

Essar Oil said it plans to grow its network to 400 retail sites over the next five years from the existing 67 operational across England and Wales.

"The acquisition will allow Essar to maintain its presence in a very competitive UK Midlands region and grow that current footprint. In addition, we will continue to expand our retail offering – with a number of the 12 new stations we recently branded through an agreement with MPK being supplied from the two terminals," Thangapandian said.