Offshore staff

MOSCOW -- Lukoil has sold its 100% share in both Lukoil Shelf Ltd. and Lukoil Overseas Orient Ltd. to OOO Eurasia Drilling Co. for $40.3 million.

The two companies previously owned and operated theAstra jackup rig, with which OAO Lukoil discovered six major multilayer oil and gas condensate fields in the Caspian Sea in the past 10 years.

The jackup was designed to operate in the Caspian Sea and can drill in 45 m (148 ft) water depth.

TheAstra sale was made in the framework of selling non-core assets by the Lukoil Group.

12/26/2006