ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry will hold an electronic auction for the right to use 56 hydrocarbon subsoil blocks, with most lots offered for exploration and production as the country seeks to attract investment into its oil and gas resource base. The auction is scheduled for Dec.
25 on the e-Qazyna platform. Applications to participate will be accepted through Nov. 18, inclusive. Most blocks are intended for geological exploration and subsequent hydrocarbon production, while four lots are designated specifically for production, Kazinform reported on Sept.
21. Most blocks are located in Kazakhstan’s western regions, including the Aktobe, Atyrau, West Kazakhstan and Mangystau Regions. The Western Ulytau block spans the Kostanai and Ulytau Regions. Block sizes vary considerably. The Tyubedzhik (Karakum) block in the Mangystau Region covers 58.95 square kilometers, while Ustyurt Block 4, also in the Mangystau Region, spans 4,058.53 square kilometers.
The Karasu block, located in the Atyrau and Aktobe Regions, covers 2,339.49 square kilometers. The upcoming auction forms part of Kazakhstan’s broader efforts to expand geological exploration and attract investment into the country’s subsoil sector. Kazakhstan has been increasingly digitizing the process, with electronic auctions and access to geological information available through the e-Qazyna infrastructure.
The electronic auction process has been fully automated since 2020, while a unified digital platform launched in 2025 further expanded online access to subsoil-use services. In March, Kazakhstan also signed a long-term geological exploration agreement with Shell Kazakhstan covering the Zhanaturmys field in the Aktobe Region, highlighting continued efforts to expand the country’s hydrocarbon resource base.