Kazakhstan to auction 56 hydrocarbon blocks on December 25

September 21, 2026 at 06:46 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry has announced an electronic auction for 56 hydrocarbon subsoil use blocks on the e-Qazyna platform. Bids are accepted until November 18, with the auction scheduled for December 25, 2026. Most blocks are located in western Kazakhstan, including Atyrau, Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, and Mangystau regions.

Key Facts

The auction will take place on December 25, 2026, on the e-Qazyna platform, with applications accepted until November 18 inclusive.
The starting signing bonus for the Tyubedzhik (Karakum) block in Mangystau region is 118.92 million tenge for an area of 58.95 sq km.
Four lots are designated for direct production, while the remaining 52 are for exploration and production.
The auction will run from 10:00 to 17:00 Astana time, with trading scheduled to start no later than 11:00.
Since 2022 through Q2 2026, Kazakhstan terminated 11 oil and gas contracts for systematic failure to meet obligations.

Auction Details

The Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan has announced an electronic auction for the right to subsoil use for hydrocarbons. The list includes 56 blocks, with applications accepted until November 18 inclusive. The auction will be held on December 25, 2026, on the e-Qazyna platform. According to Finratings.kz, the electronic trading will take place on November 18, 2026, with applications accepted until October 5 inclusive. The auction will run from 10:00 to 17:00 Astana time, with trading scheduled to start no later than 11:00.

Block Locations and Terms

Most of the blocks are located in the western regions of Kazakhstan — Aktobe, Atyrau, West Kazakhstan, and Mangystau regions. The Western Ulytau block is located in Kostanay and Ulytau regions. The starting signing bonuses vary by block: for Tyubedzhik (Karakum) in Mangystau region it is 118.92 million tenge for an area of 58.95 sq km. For the Ustyurt block 4 in Mangystau region, the starting signing bonus is 71.67 million tenge for an area of 4,058.53 sq km. The starting bonus for the Karasu block in Atyrau and Aktobe regions is 44.68 million tenge for an area of 2,339.49 sq km.

Investment Obligations

Future subsoil users will be required to finance geological exploration and drilling of exploration wells. Minimum investment obligations vary depending on the block. Requirements also include the use of domestic equipment and services, and workforce composition. Since 2022 through Q2 2026, Kazakhstan terminated 11 oil and gas contracts for systematic failure to meet obligations. Blocks returned to the state are planned to be re-offered to investors through auctions.