Kazakhstan and the group of oil companies led by Eni of Italy have set January 15 as the new deadline for talks over the fate of the disputed Kashagan oilfield, Kazakh energy minister Sauat Mynbayev said on Monday, adding progress is being stalled by Exxon.

Kazakhstan and the consortium of oil companies on Friday came close to resolving a dispute over the Kashagan oilfield after all the foreign partners agreed in principle to sell part of their stakes in the project to KazMunaigas, Kazakhstan’s state oil company.