Greece is opening new offshore areas to hydrocarbon exploration, with Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavro...

Greece is opening new offshore areas to hydrocarbon exploration, with Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou approving a tender to acquire and process seismic data across marine zones in Western and Southern Greece. The move is a direct response to market interest tied to recent energy agreements with Chevron and ExxonMobil, according to the Ministry. The goal is to build a non-exclusive 2D and 3D seismic database that makes these offshore areas more attractive to energy companies by lowering investment risk and improving data access. Companies can submit proposals covering all or part of the exploration zones, with surveys including both 2D and 3D seismic data acquisition. The tender window opens upon publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and runs for 90 days, after which HEREMA will evaluate submissions and deliver a recommendation to the Ministry. The tender is being managed by HEREMA, the Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company, which oversees Greece's upstream energy licensing. Greece has been steadily expanding its energy footprint in the Eastern Mediterranean, with offshore blocks already under exploration in the Ionian Sea and south of Crete. Bringing Chevron and ExxonMobil into the picture adds significant weight to Greece's ambitions as an energy hub, particularly as Europe continues pressing for alternatives to Russian gas. #Greece #Energy #EasternMediterranean