No plans to build new US refinery: ConocoPhillips

(Adds byline, analyst comment)

By Janet McGurty

NEW YORK, July 6 (Reuters) - ConocoPhillips Co said on Monday it was not building a new U.S. refinery despite a statement earlier from Russian partner LUKOIL on a joint investment.

"ConocoPhillips has no plans to build a new U.S. refinery," said Janet Grothe, a spokeswoman for the company.

Excess U.S. capacity makes it unlikely that a new refinery is currently planned but another joint venture, one which gives ConocoPhillips access to production of Russian oil and LUKOIL access to refining capacity on U.S. soil, could be a likely outcome.

The Kremlin said on Monday, in documents prepared for the visit of President Barack Obama, that LUKOIL will invest in a new refinery on the U.S. East Coast with ConocoPhillips.

"The investment of the Russian company will be attracted for the construction of a new ConocoPhillips refinery in the U.S. eastern coast that will focus on processing Russian crude blends," the documents said.

ConocoPhillips owns a 20 percent stake in LUKOIL, and together the two companies own an oil producing venture in Russia's Arctic, making another joint venture likely, industry watchers said.

"LUKOIL wants to establish a foothold in the U.S. They already have the marketing aspect of it. They don't have the refining side of it," said Fadel Gheit, an oil analyst with Oppenheimer.