They never learn

Western firms will keep lining up at Russia's oil teat for a drop of black gold, no matter what they have to endure to get there, or how little substance they'll get from the deal before Russia thanks them for building the infrastructure by kicking them out on their ass and taking the enterprise over. I'm amazed at the gullibility and stupidity of these major corporations. You'd think they would learn after Sakhalin.
Ironically, in an earlier Bloomberg article BP stated they would love it if Gazprom bought out the current Russian partner's stake in the business. Right - because having a firm that has already established a clear policy on ethics in regard to foreign business (Page Intentially Left Blank) and is responsible for making billionaires out of most people in the government, including the current President, is a far better partner than 3 oligarchs who just want you to pay them off better.

clipped from online.wsj.com Robert Dudley, head of BP PLC's Russian joint venture TNK-BP Ltd, abandoned Russia Thursday for an undisclosed location after Russian authorities refused to issue him a new work visa. His move could mean that BP loses control of a company that accounts for a quarter of its global oil production and 19% of its reserves. Since the conflict between BP and its Russian partners dozens of TNK-BP foreign employees have been forced to leave Russia after difficulties renewing their visas. The company also has been subject to a flood of tax, police and other probes. In an interview, Tony Hayward, BP's chief executive, denied the dispute threatened the British oil major's presence in Russia. Western businessmen and governments had been watching the TNK-BP dispute for signs of the direction Russia was moving under Dmitry Medvedev, the new president, who has said he wants to improve the rule of law in Russia, especially for business. The fate of BP's landmark Russian venture was seen as a litmus test.