BP recalls 60 specialists from Russia

British energy company BP PLC is recalling the remaining 60 engineers from its troubled TNK-BP joint venture in Russia amid a conflict with its Russian partners over strategy and control of the oil production project.

The British company said the foreign engineers have been unable to do their job since March, after problems arose with their visas.

Even when their visa problems were resolved, TNK-BP’s security staff refused them entry into the building, BP said in a statement. A court injunction later barred them from working.

The injunction has since been lifted, but the engineers still cannot return to work because of ongoing litigation, BP added. BP has already reassigned 88 of its engineers, bringing the total number withdrawn to 148.

In a separate case, TNK-BP CEO Robert Dudley and other foreign executives at the company have faced problems with renewing their work permits and extending their visas.

BP owns a 50 percent stake in TNK-BP, Russia’s third-largest oil producer. A group of Russian billionaire shareholders controls the other 50 percent.

—The Associated Press