Energy minister signs oil exploration tenders for publication

Greece’s Minister for Environment, Energy & Climate Change, Yannis Maniatis, has signed two ministerial decisions for the publication of international tenders concerning hydrocarbon exploration deals in the government gazette as well as the Official Journal of the European Union.

The two decisions concern twenty sea plots in the Ionian Sea, and south of Crete, as well as three onshore sites in western Greece.

“Today’s decisions come as the culmination of hard work carried out over the past three years. We made a commitment to launch the tenders in mid-2014, maintained strict schedules, overcame challenges, and, today, have proven that Greece has fully maintained its commitments in the field of hydrocarbon research,” the Greek Energy Minister remarked. “We covered lots of ground. We have created the necessary conditions and an attractive investment environment for successful, efficient, and safe hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation operations, throughout Greece, by major international petroleum market firms. We are utilizing the country’s rich resources and shaping a new national production model with transparency, speed and respect for the environment,” he continued.

According to procedures set for the tenders, interested parties will be able to submit their offers once the tenders have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, expected in mid-September. The tender’s duration has been set for six months.