Putin's decree creates conditions for Exxon Mobil's return to the Sakhalin-1 project

Alexey Belogoryev, Research and Development Director of the Institute for Energy and Finance, commented to Business FM radio station on the discussed possibility of ExxonMobil returning to the Sakhalin-1 project, the reasons and consequences for both sides:

"In this way, Russia suggests that the United States begin to restore economic cooperation from the point where it ended, with the departure of oil and gas companies, primarily Exxon Mobil. Sakhalin-1 in this case is a really attractive option for both the United States and Russia. For the United States, this is because it is a profitable project, where the investment return stage has already passed, which is well known and understandable. Exxon Mobil's technological skills and human resources, primarily engineering, as well as investment, are still important for Russia. In order to maintain and increase oil and gas production, serious investments— technological, personnel, and monetary are needed.

Exxon Mobil has it all. If the company had not left, Rosneft would have continued to actively cooperate with it. Russia has not made any claims, so it seems to me that this gesture is both symbolic and quite tangible — economically beneficial for both sides, understandable to both the Trump team and the oil and gas companies. If there is a political decision on the part of the Trump administration, then not only Exxon Mobil, but also other American companies may return to Russia, because the conditions here were attractive to them and the projects were interesting."