A dispute between ELPE (Hellenic Petroleum) and Energean Oil & Gas over seismic surveys conducted by the latter in the Thassos-Kavala offshore area, northeast Greece, has been taken to court.

ELPE announced yesterday that an Athens Court of First Instance has issued a verdict that forbids Energean Oil & Gas to “continue conducting illegal surveys” in the disputed Thracian Sea area.

ELPE, which had filed the case, claims Energean Oil & Gas has carried out seismic survey work in the area without being granted rights to do so. ELPE has noted that Energean Oil & Gas never presented a formal and binding proposal to state authorities for exploration rights in the area.

ELPE announced it will continue to pursue legal action with the objective of recovering any “illegally obtained data” and being compensated for “material and moral damages”.