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Mitsubishi agrees with Russian authorities on remaining Sakhalin-2 shareholder

It is noted that the Russian government allowed for the transfer of 12.5% in the new operator of the project to Mitsui's subsidiary

MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. Japan's Mitsubishi has officially informed the Russian authorities that it agrees to retain a stake in the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project. The Russian government allowed for the transfer of 10% stake in the new operator of the project to Mitsubishi's subsidiary.

The relevant order of the Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has been published on the official portal of legal information.

The share in Sakhalin Energy will be transferred to DGS Japan, the order states. The new operator of the Sakhalin-2 project was instructed to prepare all the documents necessary for the transfer.

"In accordance with <...> the notification of Mitsubishi Corporation on the consent to take ownership of a share in the authorized capital of Sakhalin Energy LLC [hereby I order] to allow for the transfer of a 10% stake in the authorized capital of the said company to DGS Japan Co., Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation," the order says.

This should be done "in proportion to the share of 10% of shares in the authorized capital of Sakhalin Energy Investment Company, Ltd., which were owned by Diamond Gas Sakhalin B.V., a 100% subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation," according to the order.

On Tuesday, it became known that the Japanese Mitsui informed the Russian authorities of its agreement to retain a stake in the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project. The Russian government allowed for the transfer of 12.5% in the new operator of the project to Mitsui's subsidiary registered in Dubai - MIT SEL Investment.

A representative of another project shareholder, Shell, told TASS on Tuesday that the company continues to work on withdrawing from Sakhalin Energy, the ex-operator of the project. He also cited the words of Shell CEO Ben van Beurden, said on July 28: "It's highly unlikely that we will become a member of a Russian legal entity to which our share in Sakhalin Energy may be transferred. It's not consistent with our intention to keep our assets in Russia. It creates a little bit more uncertainty about how exactly we will exit."

Changes in the project

On August 2, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed the decree on establishment of the Sakhalin Energy LLC, the new operator of Sakhalin 2. The company is registered in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.

In accordance with the executive order of the Russian President signed on June 30, Sakhalin Energy [previous operator - TASS] shareholders should agree to take participation interests in the created company in proportion to interests in the previous operator within one month. The controlling stake (50% plus 1 share) in Sakhalin Energy belongs to Gazprom, Shell has 27.5% of the shares, Mitsui and Mitsubishi own 12.5% and 10% respectively.

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