Donskoy said last week that the tender for the Yerginskoye field will be announced by the middle of this year.

He added that the tender is expected to secure all necessary approvals by that time.

The Yerginskoye field contains an estimated 750 million barrels of recoverable oil.

It is located next to the South Priobskoye field that is being developed by state-controlled oil producer Gazpromneft.