MOSCOW, December 20. /TASS/. A new shareholder in the Sakhalin-2 LNG project has not been determined yet, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters.

"As for Sakhalin-2 - not yet," he said, replying to a relevant question.

On June 30, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree under which a Russian stock company would replace Sakhalin Energy as the operator of the Sakhalin-2 project. On August 2, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree establishing Sakhalinskaya Energiya, the new operator of Sakhalin 2. The company was registered on August 5.

Japanese companies Mitsui and Mitsubishi agreed to keep their stake in Sakhalin-2, but Shell, which has a 27.5% stake in the project, said it would not have any stake in the new company. Now Shell's stake is to be valued and sold, and the money from the sale is to be transferred to a special account. Under the decree, the further sale of any stake in the Sakhalinskaya Energiya can only be made to a Russian legal entity.

Shell said it is considering all possible legal means regarding compensation for participation in Sakhalin-2. A new shareholder to take Shell’s place in the Sakhalin-2 project will be determined before the end of the year, Alexander Novak reported. Earlier, Russian independent gas producer Novatek expressed interest in the project.