MOSCOW, August 1 - RAPSI. The Fourteenth Commercial Court of Appeals has declared a recess until August 7 in its hearing of state environmental watchdog Federal Service for the Supervision of Natural Resources' appeal against the dismissal of its $15 million claim against Lukoil - Conoco Phillips' joint venture Naryanmarneftegaz, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency.

The reason for the delay has not been disclosed.

The plaintiff has challenged the Arkhangelsk Regional Commercial Court judgment of May 2.

The environmental service requested the court to obligate Naryanmarneftegaz to pay for the disposal of saline waste water generated from hydrocarbon production and oil treatment in the first and second quarters of 2007.

In July 2010, Naryanmarneftegaz had already paid 1.1 million rubles ($37,400) on the assumption that the bottom water was a waste product. However, the watchdog claimed for $17.3 million, arguing that bottom water falls within the fourth hazardous class.

However, the court disagreed with the regulator's arguments and the oil company produced its own calculations, proving that its payments were correct.

LUKOIL holds 70 percent of Naryanmarneftegaz and ConocoPhillips holds 30 percent. The company is developing the South-Khylchuyuskoye field in the Nenets Autonomous District. The field was discovered in 1981 with proved reserves estimated at over 500 million barrels.