Sources close to the $3.3bn Viva Energy have swiftly rebuffed suggestions that it could be part of a takeover attempt for Caltex with EG Group and potentially interests associated with Macquarie.
But that does not mean it will pass up an opportunity to buy its assets further down the track.
Britain’s EG Group is believed to have been trying to build a consortium for a rival bid for Caltex, and Viva Energy has been named in the market as one of the groups involved, although sources close to Viva say it is not an interested acquirer.