ExxonMobil and Chinese Petroleum negotiate gas deal

ExxonMobil is in talks with the China National Petroleum Cooperation to provide the country with gas from its Sakhalin-1 energy project in Russia's Far East.

Gazprom is against Exxon exporting the gas saying it’s needed for the domestic market.

In 2006 ExxonMobil signed a preliminary agreement to sell gas to China. But last summer Gazprom asked the government to block Exxon's selling Sakhalin gas to Asia, saying it's needed in Russia.

Exxon, however, says the local Russian market isn't large enough to absorb all the gas it expects to produce.