Russia to keep Sakhalin-3 oil block for own firms

MOSCOW, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Russia will auction off oil and gas blocks of the Sakhalin-3 project as strategic deposits, Resources Minister Yuri Trutnev said on Monday, signalling that foreign access to the project will be limited.

"Sakhalin-3 should be part of strategic (fields)," he told a news conference.

U.S. oil major Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) had long hoped to revive its involvement in Sakhalin-3 that Russia cancelled a few years ago saying the company's agreement to develop the large block had been never finalised.