"Has anyone but Gazpromneft applied?" a reporter asked Mr. Artemyev.
"I was away vacationing for a few days-but I heard some more had applied," was the reply.
Yugansk, the drowning Yukos' principal production branch, will be auctioned off, December 19. Gazpromneft has applied to purchase its 76.79% block, Alexander Stepanenko, the bidder's official spokesman, said to Novosti.
The Gazprom Directors' Board has approved the bid, a final obliging application made, and the tentative purchase, Gazprom announced yesterday.
The block has been priced at an initial 246,753,447,303 rubles. Today's Central Bank rate is R27.98/$1. 43 Yugansk shares will come in one lot, each at a 177,889.80 ruble nominal.
A Gazprom press release qualifies Yukos as indebted block holder.
Auction applications are welcome from November 19 into December 18. Auction bids are to increase within 1-10 per cent of the initial price.
All assets and deposits of Yukos and its principal branches are under arrest. The federal Justice Ministry determined to have Yugansk auctioned off to cover corporate fiscal arrears, as it announced toward last July's end.
