On 6 June 2019, Gazprom Neft and Royal Dutch Shell plc signed an agreement establishing a joint venture in Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Western Siberia). According to the agreement, Shell acquires a 50% interest in the share capital of Meretoyakhaneftegaz currently owned by Gazprom Neft. The deal will be finalized in late 2019-early 2010. After completion of transaction, four more licenses owned by Gazprom Neft in the region will be automatically transferred to the joint venture.   The Mereto-Yakhinskiy license (SLKh15895NE) covers 1,330 sq km in the south-western part of the Nadym Taz Province and encompasses the Mereto-Yakhinskoye oil field. It is valid until 2085.  The Yubileynyy Zapadnyy production license (SLKh02456NE) covers 449 sq km in the western part of the Nadym-Taz province and encompasses the Yubileynoye Zapadnoye discovery. It is valid until 2032.  The Yubileynyy Zapadnyy exploratory license (SLKh02457NP) covers 1,269 sq km in the same region and it is valid until the end of 2020.  The Samburgskiy Severnyy license (SLKh16360NE) covers 763 sq km east of the giant Urengoyskoye field and encompasses the Samburgskoye Severnoye field. It is valid until 2027.  The Tazovskiy license (SLKh16411NR) covers 1,450 in the north-eastern part of the Nadym-Taz Province and encompasses the Tazovskoye field and several prospects. It is valid until 2025.
Shell has teamed up with Gazprom Neft (50:50) to jointly develop licence blocks in the Yamal-Nenets region. Number of license blocks at varying stages of development - the SLKh16411NR (Tazovsky) and SLKh16360NE (Severo-Samburgsky), as well as two SLKh02457NP & SLKh14952NE (Zapadno-Yubileiny), SLKh15895NE (Mereto-Yakhinskiy) blocks - will be automatically transferred to the JVâs asset portfolio as soon as the transaction closes.