The government has also approved an amended program of work and spending for infrastructure development which will be used as the basis for further annual spending plans.
"The aforementioned amendments will be revised after new technological documents for deposit development are approved," the ministry said in a statement.
Exxon Neftegas, the operator of the project, and the government have long been at loggerheads over the 2010 spending plans with the Audit Chamber accusing Exxon of inflating spending, and threatening to replace Exxon Neftegas as operator.