On 17 January 2020, Gazprom Neft announced a new deal with Royal Dutch Shell plc in Khanty-Mansiysk (Yugra) Autonomous Okrug (Western Siberia). Their joint venture Salym Petroleum Development (SPD) will acquire a 100% stake at newly created company Salymskiy-2 LLC from Gazprom Neft-Khantos. Prior to the deal, license KhMN02196NR shall be transferred from Gazprom Neft-Khantos, the current license operator, to Salymskiy-2.   The Salymskiy-2 license covers 376 sq km in the Ural-Frolov Province and it is adjacent to the Salymskoye Zapadnoye, Vadelypskoye and Verkhnesalymskoye fields developed by SPD. Two wells have been drilled in the license. Also, the operator is in the process of interpretation of recently acquired 3D seismic data. SPD is equally owned by Gazprom Neft and Shell.  It must be noted that Gazprom Neft invited Shell to join several projects in Russia. In Western Siberia, two companies may team for development of the Achimov reservoirs in the Yamburgskoye field where Gazprom Neft operates as a contractor for Gazprom. In the Okhotsk Sea (offshore Sakhalin), Shell is invited to explore and develop the Ayashskiy license including the recent Neptune and Triton oil discoveries.
Salym Petroleum, has agreed to buy a 100% stake in Salymskiy 2 (380kmÂ²) block from Gazprom Neftâs regional subsidiary, Gazprom Neft Khantos