On 12 October 2018, the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use held an auction for two blocks in Samara Oblast (Volga-Ural Province). Udmurtia-registered Sabunskiy offered the highest bids for both blocks. The winner of the auction will obtain 25-year E&P licenses.   Details of the offer are as follows:  The Podkolskiy block covers 178 sq km in the northern part of the Buzuluk Depression and encompasses the Uvarovskiy Severnyy and Podkolskiy prospects and a part of the Ostrogorskiy prospect. Combined oil resources of the prospects are estimated at 6 MMbbl. Five exploratory wells have been drilled in the block. Hydrocarbon resources (category D1) of the block are estimated at 26 MMbbl of oil and 17 Bcf of gas. The starting price amounted to RUB 11.8 million (USD 0.18 million). Sabunskiy offered RUB 12.98 million (USD 0.2 million).   The Matyanovskiy block covers 528 sq km in the southwestern flank of the Tatarskiy Yuzhnyy Dome and encompasses the Bugulminskiy, Nabokovskiy, Suvarskiy, Khersonskiy and Lefanovskiy Yuzhnyy prospects with combined oil resources estimated at 20 MMbbl. Seismic coverage amounts to 1,320 km. 28 exploratory wells have been drilled in the block. Hydrocarbon resources (category D1) of the block are estimated at 50 MMbbl of oil and 3 Bcf of gas. The starting price amounted to RUB 38.9 million (USD 0.59 million). Sabunskiy offered RUB 42.79 million (USD 0.65 million).
Sabunskiy was awarded 2 blocks in Samara Obl.: Matyanovskiy block and Podkolskiy.