LUKOIL slashes 2008 oil output forecast

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, April 4 (Reuters) - Russian oil major LUKOIL (LKOH.MM) plans to increase oil production by 1.8-2.0 percent this year without acquisitions, its chief executive Vagit Alekperov told reporters on Friday.

Russia's second largest oil producer has previously said its output would rise by around 5 percent this year. Alekperov also declined to comment on market rumours the firm was close to buying a refinery in Italy.

"The company is working on projects to acquire plants in Europe. I have never named any concrete plant. But it is a fact that we are working (on projects) in both southern and northern Europe," he said. (Reporting by Denis Pinchuk, writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; editing by Amie Ferris-Rotman)