The Japanese Mitsui corporation intends to invest over one billion dollars in the “Sakhalin-2” project. It was reported by the General Director of Mitsui & Co Moscow LLC Hiroshi Meguro, according to TASS. “Sakhalin gas is the most convenient gas for Japan, it is very close” - he added. The top manager did not specify what the funds will be exactly aimed at. “Sakhalin-2” includes the development of the two fields – Piltun-Astokhskoe and Lunskoye (the recoverable reserves are estimated at 150 million tons of oil and 500 billion cubic meters of gas) located at the distance of 13-16 kilometers from the northeastern coast of the Sakhalin Island.

      The operator of the project is the Sakhalin Energy company with 50 percent of shares owned by “Gazprom”, 27.5 percent owned by Royal Dutch Shell, 12.5 percent held by Mitsui, and 10 percent owned by Mitsubishi.