"No problems" in Imperial Energy sale: Russia government

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Natural Resources ministry said on Tuesday there is nothing hindering the sale of Imperial Energy IEC.L to India's ONGC (ONGC.BO).

"There are no problems. Let it be sold," Alexander Ledovskikh, the head of Rosnedra, the federal subsoil agency within the ministry, told a news briefing.

In late August, India's biggest oil producer agreed a takeover of the mid-sized Russian oil producer for $2.6 billion, but for the deal to go ahead it must have no strategic assets, as determined by the Natural Resources Ministry, and the deal must then be approved by Russia's anti-trust watchdog.

While the watchdog must still approve the sale, Ledovskikh's comments further strengthened industry insiders' views that London-listed Imperial will be sold to ONGC without problems or a last-minute attempt by the state to have it sold to a Russian company.

Investors have been closely watching the outcome of the two approvals as the investment climate in Russia worsens and foreign capital floods out of the country.

Ledovskikh declined to name a timeframe for final approval of the deal. As a rule, Imperial will not comment on the process of the acquisition.

Rosnedra is also worried Russian oil and gas companies might cut back their investments in exploration due to the crisis.

"Today there's a big fear there could be a reduction in company investments in the geological exploration field," Ledovskikh said.

Russia has been one of the hardest hit economies in the financial crisis, with stocks losing almost 77 percent since their May peaks. Analysts fear energy companies will cut down on projects, although no company has yet said they will do so.

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, writing by Amie Ferris-Rotman; Editing by David Cowell)