On 17 May 2018, the Federal Agency for Subsoil Use held an auction for three blocks in Orenburg Oblast (Volga-Ural Province). The winning bids were submitted by Preobrazhenskneft, Sakmaraneft and Alfa-StroyTrans. Winners of the auction will obtain 25-year E&P licenses.   Details of the offer are as follows:  The Malokinelskiy block covers 329 sq km in the Buzuluk Depression and encompasses the Chesnokovskoye oil discovery with 3P reserves estimated at 0.4 MMbbl. Hydrocarbon resources (category D1) of the block are estimated at 37 MMbbl of oil and 51 Bcf of gas. The starting price amounted to RUB 28.2 million (USD 0.45 million). Preobrazhenskneft offered RUB 403.26 million (USD 6.5 million).   The Klyuchevskoy block covers 169 sq km in the Buzuluk Depression and encompasses the Tikhonovskiy Zapadnyy and Tikhonovskiy prospects with combine oil resources estimated at 4 MMbbl. Hydrocarbon resources (category D1) of the block are estimated at 20 MMbbl of oil and 27 Bcf of gas. The starting price amounted to RUB 8 million (USD 0.13 million). Sakmaraneft offered RUB 8.8 million (USD 0.14 million).   The Iskrovskiy block covers 318 sq km in the Buzuluk Depression. Hydrocarbon resources (category D1) of the block are estimated at 18 MMbbl of oil and 24 Bcf of gas. The starting price amounted to RUB 2.5 million (USD 0.04 million). Alfa-StroyTrans offered RUB 156.75 million (USD 2.5 million).
Federal Agency for Subsoil Use held an auction for three blocks in Orenburg Oblast (Volga-Ural Province). The winning bids were submitted by Preobrazhenskneft, Sakmaraneft and Alfa-StroyTrans. 