MOSCOW, August 24. /TASS/. Sakhalin Energy LLC, new operator of the Sakhalin 2 LNG project, has canceled an LNG shipment to at least on Asian customer due to payment issues as well as delays signing revised contracts, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday referring to traders familiar with the situation.

"Sakhalin Energy LLC, the new operator set up by Moscow to tighten ownership over the liquefied natural gas facility in Russia's Far East, scrapped a shipment to at least one Asian customer due to payment issues as well as delays signing revised contracts," the agency wrote.

According to Bloomberg, on August 19, LNG buyers were asked to commit to new deals with the operator and send payments to banks in Moscow from that date. While most of the terms of the LNG deal remain the same, buyers are checking with lawyers and scrutinizing the details before making deals with a new entity or paying other banks, agency sources say.

TASS has sent a query to Sakhalin Energy LLC.

On August 19, it became known that two Japanese companies Tokyo Gas and JERA signed LNG contracts with the new operator of the Sakhalin-2 project.

The day before, the agency wrote that Sakhalin Energy had asked buyers to pay for the supply of liquefied natural gas in a currency other than the dollar.

Sakhalin Energy LLC, registered in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, began operations on August 19. The licenses for the Piltun-Astokhskoye and Lunskoye gas fields, which are being developed under the production sharing agreement have been re-registered to Sakhalin Energy LLC. LLC Gazprom Sakhalin Holding will receive 50.00000001378317% of it, the remaining 49.99999998621683% will go to Sakhalin Energy.

On August 2, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed the decree on establishment of the Sakhalin Energy LLC, the new operator of Sakhalin 2. The company was registered on August 5.

In accordance with the executive order of the Russian President signed on June 30, Sakhalin Energy [previous operator - TASS] shareholders should agree to take participation interests in the created company in proportion to interests in the previous operator within one month. The controlling stake (50% plus 1 share) in Sakhalin Energy belongs to Gazprom, Shell has 27.5% of the shares, Mitsui and Mitsubishi own 12.5% and 10% respectively.