Khodorkovsky & Lebedev Communications Center

Many experts believe the Russian government is going increase pressure on ExxonMobil to sell gas extracted from the Sakhalin project. Speaking to Reuters, Mikhail Krutikhin, an analyst with RusEnergy, said: "I think Exxon Mobil knows that they will twist their arm. It is pure pressure."

Valery Nesterov, analyst at Troika Dialog, added that despite investors' hope that the government authorities' control on energy resources was starting to ease, "foreign firms will often remain under pressure". He said: "Exxon does not have a free choice. Past experience shows that if [Moscow] has a strong desire, the foreign partner has to agree."