Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 26, 2025

Exclusive: Exxon exits Russia empty-handed with oil project 'unilaterally terminated'

Exclusive: Exxon exits Russia empty-handed with oil project 'unilaterally terminated'

Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) said on Monday that it left Russia completely after President Vladimir Putin expropriated its properties following seven months of discussions over an orderly transfer of its 30% stake in a major oil project.

Exxon did not say if it received any compensation for the assets, which it had valued at more than $4 billion. An Exxon spokesperson declined to comment on whether it will proceed to contest the seizure through an international arbitration process, a possibility flagged in August.

Its departure illustrates the clash between the West and Russia over energy following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in late February and threats of using nuclear weapons against the country and its supporters. BP, TotalEnergies, Equinor, and Shell have all transferred properties to Russian partners or left operations behind.

"We made every effort to engage with the Russian government and other stakeholders," the Exxon spokesperson said.

The company said it "safely exited" Russia after the government earlier this month "unilaterally terminated" its interests in the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project, its largest in the country.

Exxon has been trying to relinquish operation of Sakhalin-1 since March 1, when it announced it would abandon all of its more than $4 billion in assets, leaving open the possibility to sell Sakhalin-1. It said it would "closely coordinate" the transfer of operation with its partners - Russian company Rosneft (ROSN.MM), India's ONGC Videsh (ONVI.NS) and Japan's SODECO to ensure it would be done in a secure way.

In April, Exxon disclosed a $3.4 billion write down on the Russia exit and this month signaled a third-quarter $600 million impairment charge for unidentified assets. Exxon had valued its Russia holdings at more than $4 billion.

On Oct. 7 Putin seized Exxon shares in the oil production joint venture and transferred them to a government-controlled company. In August, Putin had signed a first decree that Exxon said made a secure and environmentally safe exit from Sakhalin-1 difficult. The U.S. producer reacted to August's decree by issuing a "note of difference," a legal step before arbitration.

The harsh language of Exxon's formal exit shows a desired outcome for Exxon - leaving Russia - but in unamicable terms that could translate in multi-year legal disputes, starting with arbitration in European courts.

PHASING OUT


Exxon has been reducing its presence in Russia since 2014, following sanctions against Moscow after it annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine.

The U.S. company had removed earlier this year its expatriate workers and closed its lubricant and chemical businesses in Russia. By July, output at the Sakhalin-1 project fell 10,000 barrels per day (bpd), from 220,000 bpd before Russia invaded Ukraine.

The volume was just enough to provide natural gas to keep the lights on in the Russian cites of Khabarovsk and Vladivostok. About 700 Russia-based employees that kept operations running will be transferred to the new Russia company taking over the asset, Exxon said.

"We are thankful for the professionalism, expertise and commitment demonstrated by ENL’s employees during these difficult circumstances," the Exxon spokesperson said.

Exxon had pledged to take its time and provide for a safe transfer to a new operator to avoid spills, environmental accidents or shutting down the lights of cities supplied by the project.

Russian terms blocked it from transferring operations or negotiating a potential sale to Indian or Japanese partners, which indicated interest in keeping Sakhalin-1's supply.

India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp plans to take a stake in the new Russian entity that will manage the Sakhalin-1 project as it seeks to retain a 20% share in the asset, three sources familiar with the matter said.

Japan will decide what to do about the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia's Far East in consultation with its partners as it reviews details of a decree by Moscow, Industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said last week.

According to Putin's Oct. 7 decree, Sakhalin-1's foreign partners will have one month after the new Russian company is created to ask the Russian government for shares in the new entity.

Equinor last month agreed to sell Russian assets value at $1 billion for 1 euro. The formal sale allowed Norway's Equinor to forgo future liabilities and investment commitments. On Friday, Danone also sold its assets but kept a minority stake.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
×