“Declarative principle” for obtaining subsoil use rights to be applied to oil and gas fields

The corresponding order, approved by the head of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources Sergey Donskoy, has been registered in the Ministry of Justice of Russia, as reported by the press service of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of Russia. Through the use of declarative principle for subsoil areaswith solid mineral resources, from 2013 to 2015 the Russia’s relative share in the global investment in exploration more than doubled against the two-fold drop of investments on the world market. The order specifies the limit quantitative criteria by area and number of subsoil sitesprovided in a declarative procedure – no more than 3 subsoil sitesless than 100 km2– for solid minerals; no more than 3 subsoil sitesless than 500 km2– for hydrocarbons. The document sets the time period of the limit on the number of subsoil sites(3 sites) provided to the applicant – one calendar year, on condition of no violations of the terms of subsoil use under licenses for subsoil use, previously received in a declarative manner, for a two year period preceding the applicationsubmission date. In addition, the order establishes the possibility of providingfor the use, underdeclarative principle, of subsoil sites for the purpose of geological exploration of the underlying (overlying) horizons and flanks of explored and (or) developed mineral deposits, for which no data available in the state balance of mineral reserves. With respect to the flanks of explored and (or) developed field – no more than 100 km2– for solid minerals; no more than 300 km2 – for subsoil sites of diamonds; no more than 500 km2– for hydrocarbons (very small, small, and medium-sized deposits), and no more than 1,000 km2 (large or unique field). The limits for the number and size of subsoil sites with regard to the underlying (overlying) horizons of explored and (or) developed field are not set.

Press-service of MENR of RT