Azerbaijan’s state oil company Socar is close to signing a deal to buy privately-held Italian refiner Italiana Petroli, Reuters reported on Monday, citing sources. The Brachetti-Peretti family, owners of Italiana Petroli, which controls one of Italy’s biggest gasoline station networks, have agreed to sell the company to Socar, with the signing of the deal expected imminently, according to Reuters’ sources. In June this year, Reuters reported that Socar is in competition with Gunvor, one of the world’s…