Gazprom took control of Shell’s Sakhalin-2 project last year, and now appears to want a stake in ExxonMobil’s Sakhalin-1 venture as well, according to new reports alleging that Gazprom held talks to join the oil and gas project earlier this year. Russia’s state-controlled Rosneft says it will raise oil output by 11% in 2008. The Middle East‘s share of Japan‘s crude imports fell to 84.3% in November from 89.4% a year ago, partly due to a surge in crude imports from Russia and Vietnam.