Russia to Auction Gas Licences in April
Russia will offer up rights to two gas blocks on the Arctic Taymyr peninsula on April 12, state subsoil licensing agency Rosnedra reported on February 3.
The exploration licences on offer are for the Turkovsky and Deryabinsky blocks. Auction terms mean only companies already with active oil and gas projects in the north of the Krasnoyarsk region can take part. State-owned Rosneft has a dominant position in the region.
The Turkovsky block is 975 km2 in size and contains nearly 54bn m3 of estimated gas, under Russia's reserve classification system. Nine exploration wells have been drilled in the area, with one in 1988 identifying the Ushakovskoye gas field. The starting price for bids has been set at rubles 759mn ($10.2mn).
The Deryabinsky area spans 405 km2 and comprises the Deryabinskoye gas field. The block's resources are assessed at almost 55bn m3 of gas and 3.4mn metric tons of condensate. Rosnedra has invited bids for the licence at a starting price of rubles 1.42bn.