By Tatiana Bautzer and Carolina Mandl

SAO PAULO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA has hired the investment banking unit of Banco Santander Brasil SA to revive efforts to sell its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution unit, four sources with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday. Petrobras, Santander and Itau did not immediately comment. Petrobras, as the company is known, had agreed in 2016 to sell Liquigas Distribuidora SA to local rival Ultrapar Participações SA in a process managed by the investment banking unit of Itau Unibanco Holding SA.

But the 2.8 billion-real ($753.86 million) deal was blocked by Brazil's antitrust watchdog CADE in February 2018.

Petrobras' new Chief Executive Roberto Castello Branco in December announced the oil company would seek to sell $26.9 billion in assets between 2019 and 2023, after it missed a prior $21 billion divestment target for 2017-2018.

Petrobras' asset sale program has been targeted by court decisions, including some by the Supreme Court, requiring Congressional approval for some processes. The next expected divestiture is the sale of gas pipeline network TAG, which is in its final stages.

The new Liquigas sale process will focus on offering Liquigas to investment funds or private equity firms which have oil and gas arms, one of the sources added, as a way to avoid new antitrust hurdles. Petrobras had also considered an initial public offering of Liquigas soon after the Ultrapar deal was blocked by CADE.

Other strategic bidders that were competing for Liquigas in 2016, such as local rivals Copagaz and Supergasbras, controlled by SHV Energy, and Turkey's Aygaz, placed lower bids than Ultrapar, sources with knowledge of the matter said at the time.

So far Santander has not contacted potential acquirers, the sources added. ($1 = 3.7142 reais) (Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer Editing by Susan Thomas)