On 6 June 2019, the Ministry of Natural Resources published a list of exploratory licenses available for investors without auctions. The list includes five blocks covering 9,919 sq km in Volga-Urals, Western Siberia and Eastern Siberia. Applications must be submitted to local branches of the State Agency for Subsoil Use by 18 July 2019.  The Astashevskiy Yuzhnyy block covers 884 sq km in Bashkortostan (Volga-Ural Basin). Its hydrocarbon resources are estimated at 1.5 MMbbl of oil, 397 Bcf of gas and 3 MMbbl of condensate. Applications must be sent to Bashnedra at 450006, Ufa, Lenina Str., 86.  Kurgan Oblast (Western Siberia) offers the Pokrovskiy block (151 sq km) and the Utichyevskiy block (300 sq km). Hydrocarbon resources have not been estimated. Contact information: 640000, Kurgan, Kuybysheva Str., 12, office 209.  Yakutia (Sakha) Republic offers two exploratory licenses in the Nepa-Botuoba Basin (Eastern Siberia). The Olguydakhskiy Severnyy block with hydrocarbon resources estimated at 363 MMbbl of oil and 3,384 Bcf of gas covers 7,517 sq km. The Berezovskiy Yuzhnyy with resources estimated at 29 MMbbl of oil and 1,199 Bcf of gas covers 1,067 sq km. It is understood that licenses in the remote region could be valid for seven years instead of five years in Western Siberia and Volga-Urals. Contact information: 677018, Yakutsk, Ammosova Str., 18.
On 6 June 2019, the Ministry of Natural Resources published a list of exploratory licenses available for investors without auctions. The list includes five blocks covering 9,919 sq km in Volga-Urals, Western Siberia and Eastern Siberia