RusEnergy

19.01.2007 - [Neftegaz.ru] - Russia has stepped up pressure on TNK-BP, as the natural resources ministry said it was launching checks into whether the Anglo-Russian joint venture was fulfilling the licensing terms of one of its biggest assets, the Financial Times reported. The move had been signalled by the Russian authorities last year, but comes amid speculation that Moscow may pressure BP PLC to cede some of its 50 pct stake in the joint venture, handing control to the Russian side, the article added. Some analysts have speculated Russia may seek to take advantage of the discomfiture of Lord Browne, the BP chairman who was an architect of the venture in 2003, but who announced last week he would step down 18 months earlier than planned. The Russian probe follows last month's deal by Royal Dutch Shell PLC and two Japanese partners to sell a controlling stake in the 20 bln usd Sakhalin-2 project to Gazprom, the Russian natural gas giant.