On 8 November 2018, the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use held an auction for the Leskinskiy Yuzhnyy block in Krasnoyarsk Kray (Eastern Siberia). Novatek-Yurkharovneftegaz won the contest with the offer of RUB 2,041 million (USD 30.9 million), almost 60 times higher of the starting price. The winner of the auction will obtain a 27-year E&P license including a 7-year exploratory stage.   The Leskinskiy Yuzhnyy block covers 3,630 sq km in the western part of the Yenisey-Khatanga Basin. Seismic coverage amounts to 360 km. No wells have been drilled in the block. Hydrocarbon resources (category D2) of the block are estimated at 120 MMbbl of oil and 4.3 Tcf of gas. The starting price amounted to RUB 35 million (USD 0.53 million). The block is adjacent to licences operated by Novatek in Krasnoyarsk Kray and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
Russia Novatek wins Leskinskiy Yuzhnyy license in Yenisey-Khatanga for USD 31 million