Exxon's Sakhalin output to fall sharply in 2008

MOSCOW, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil's (XOM.N) Sakhalin-1 project will cut production this year by over 25 percent - much steeper than expected - as the field has passed peak production and is getting depleted, a project partner said on Wednesday.

"Peak production of 11.2 million tonnes (225,000 barrels per day), which we saw last year, has passed," said Lev Brodsky, the head of Sakhalin projects at Russian state oil major Rosneft (ROSN.MM).

Brodsky said production was expected to fall to 7.9-8.2 million tonnes in 2008. Russian officials have previously said the field would produce around 10 million tonnes this year.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; editing by Tanya Mosolova)