This announcement comes on the back of an investigation the Ministry made on the licenses issued to the three firms.

In a statement the Ministry said, “[We want] supplementary agreements defining timetables and other conditions drawn up at Yukos’ Tersko Kamovsky field in the Evenkiya region of East Siberia and Lukoil’s Yushno Khylchuyuskoye deposit in the Arctic Nenets region on northwest Russia. Lukoil’s performance at another Nenets field, Inzereiskoye, is satisfactory.”

“Shell has been instructed to sign a new agreement at the Salym field in West Siberia where it holds a 50% stake in the Salym Petroleum Development venture with Russia's Evikhon.

“The purpose of our work is not to take away and redistribute licenses but to introduce order in the natural resources arena. We will oblige all companies with licenses to really work and pay taxes into the state coffers and not just pretend to be doing that,” added the ministry.

However, it warned it would do just that, withdraw licenses and offer them at tender, if its demands are not met. No comment was available from Yukos, Lukoil and Shell.