The Russian company decided to sell its shareholding in Polar Lights, which has been developing the Ardalin field in ­Timan-Pechora province in the north of the country since 1992, in February of last year when it announced it was looking to receive between $120 million and $150 million for its interests.

Since then, the assets with depleted reserves and declining production have been unofficially estimated to be worth $200 million, however, experts now believe that its real price is more likely around $50 million, according to Russian daily Kommersant.

According