അമേരിക്കയുടെ ഉപരോധം നേരിടുന്ന റഷ്യൻ കമ്പനിയായ നൊവാടെക്കിൽ നിന്ന് അലാസ്കയിലെ എൽഎൻജി പദ്ധതിക്കായി ധനസഹായം സ്വീകരിച്ചതായി റിപ്പോർട്ട്. യുഎസ് ട്രഷറിയുടെ അനുമതി ലഭിക്കുന്നതിന് മുൻപേ റഷ്യൻ കമ്പനി പദ്ധതിയുടെ പ്രവർത്തനങ്ങളിൽ ഇടപെട്ടുവെന്ന് മുൻ സിഇഒ ആരോപിച്ചു. എന്നാൽ നിയമങ്ങൾ പാലിച്ചാണ് പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നതെന്ന് പോളാർ എൽഎൻജി വ്യക്തമാക്കി.
A developer of a liquefied natural gas facility in Alaska received financing from Russia-based Novatek PJSC, an energy giant that is subject to US sanctions, the Financial Times reported.
Novatek offered funding to Polar Train LNG’s venture and directed its operations before required approvals were secured from the US Treasury, the newspaper cited the developer’s ex-chief executive officer Joel Riddle as saying in an interview. Riddle resigned last month, followed by other executives, according to the FT and a separate interview with the New York Times.
Riddle is a “disgruntled former employee” who had been terminated, Polar LNG said Friday in a statement. “Development activities are being pursued in full compliance with applicable US laws,” according to the company.
An application had been made to the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for a license to purchase an unfinished gravity-based structure — part of an LNG facility — from Novatek, according to the statement.
Novatek and the US Treasury Dwepartment didn’t immediately respond to emailed requests for comment by Bloomberg News made outside regular business hours.
The newspaper cited a statement from the Russian company as saying it had signed a memorandum of understanding in April with Polar Train, and that to “execute such a large-scale project, requisite approvals will need to be obtained from US and Russian authorities.”
The US Treasury does not comment on allegations of sanctions violations, but takes “potential violations extremely seriously,” the newspaper cited a department official as saying.
Tim Talkington, a former Goldman Sachs Bank Russia CEO, has been appointed acting CEO of Polar Train LNG — the project’s operating company, the US firm said in its statement. Talkington is president of parent company Polar Eagle LNG, according to the statement.
Polar LNG is aiming to begin gas deliveries from Alaska’s North Slope by the end of 2030.
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