The British group BP-AMACO has announced the launch of a friendly bid for its compatriot BURMAH CASTROL (£2.9 bn turnover in 1999 with a workforce of 18,000), for 4.5 bn euro, or £16.75 a share. BP intends selling BURMAH's specialty chemicals activities and merge its lubricant activities with its own division active in that sector to form a new division.