Reuters: Total plans to sell half of Texas refinery, Cenovus a possible buyer

• Total (TOT -2%) is aiming to sell a 50% stake in its sole U.S. refinery in Port Arthur, Tex., and has retained investment bank Lazard to advise on the deal, Reuters reports.
• TOT reportedly intends to remain operator of the 225K bbl/day plant, which it has owned for more than 40 years.
• Potential bidders could include companies from Canada's oil sands patch such as Cenovus Energy (CVE -1.4%), which are shipping growing volumes of heavy crude to the U.S. Gulf, according to the report.