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Bolivia took controlling stakes in four energy companies on Thursday, one in an agreement with Spanish oil company Repsol YPF SA and others through state decrees.

Bolivia's state energy company YPFB signed a deal with Repsol, paying $6.3-million (U.S.) to acquire enough shares to give it a majority stake in Repsol's Andina, one of Bolivia's biggest energy companies.

The announcement came exactly two years after leftist President Evo Morales launched his nationalization of Bolivia's energy industry in a bid to increase government income from the country's rich natural gas fields.

Mr. Morales on Thursday also decreed the state takeover of Chaco, held by BP PLC and Pan American Energy, and the Transredes pipeline company belonging to Ashmore Energy International Ltd.

Talks between the government and the companies did not lead to a deal and it was not immediately clear how much the government would pay to acquire controlling stakes in Chaco and Transredes.

The government also said in a paid advertisement that it completed the buyout of storage and fuel transport firm CLHB, controlled by German and Peruvian firms.

Bolivia has South America's second-largest natural gas reserves after Venezuela, and supplies neighbouring Argentina and Brazil.

Under an agreement signed in the national palace, YPFB now controls 51 per cent of Andina and shares management of the company with Repsol.

Repsol had a 50.0024 per cent stake in Andina and sold 1.08 per cent to Bolivia for $6.3-million.

Andina exploits 18 small oil and gas fields and also has a 50 per cent stake in two large natural gas fields, San Antonio and San Alberto, operated by Brazil's state oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA.

"This contract means a greater understanding between two countries, Spain and Bolivia," Mr. Morales said when the agreement was signed. He repeated his oft-said statement that Bolivia wants partners to develop its energy industry, not owners of its resources.

Repsol has other energy companies in Bolivia besides Andina.

Chaco, Transredes and Andina were created when YPFB privatized many of its operations in 1996. Foreign companies took 50 per cent stakes in the companies and got administrative control. The rest of the companies' shares were held in state pension funds that were recently returned to YPFB.

Chaco operates in 22 oil and gas fields and has invested in projects aimed at increasing natural gas exports to Argentina.

Transredes controls the Bolivian part of the Santa Cruz-Sao Paulo pipeline, conduit for 30 million cubic meters a day of natural gas sent to Brazil. It also operates some internal pipelines.