PetroVietnam Oil Corp., Vietnam’s sole crude exporter, said it’s in talks to sell as much as 40 percent to strategic investors and expects to narrow down to a list of about five potential bidders for the government this month. PV Oil, as it’s commonly known, expects to raise at least $270 million from one or two investors from the stake sale, President and Chief Executive Officer Cao Hoai Duong said at the company’s Ho Chi Minh City headquarters. About 10 potential strategic investors, including “major oil companies” from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and the Middle East, have applied to buy the shares, he said. PV Oil will also offer as much as 15 percent of its shares in an initial public offering in the first half this year, the CEO said, adding that the stake sale to strategic investors will occur simultaneously with or after the IPO. The company will list shares at an undetermined time on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange after the IPO, he said. “We are looking for good strategic partners so we can make another M&A success,” Duong said in an interview on Tuesday, referring to past acquisitions to expand its retail network.