Sofia Stamataki, a professor at the National Technical University and former director at EDEY, the Greek Hydrocarbon Management Company, has assumed an advisory role at the energy ministry to help steer five pending licensing agreements concerning three onshore and two offshore blocks in western Greece towards finalization, energypress sources have informed.

Just days ago, the energy ministry extended – yet again – an appraisal deadline leading to finalized contracts for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation licenses concerning blocks in the Ionian Sea. Authorities now have until June 30 to finalize agreements.

Highlighting the slow progress, an international tender offering blocks in the Ionian Sea was launched in November, 2014 and ended in July, 2015.

Last October, a consortium comprised of Total, Edison and ELPE was declared the preferred bidder for one of these units, Block 2 in the Ionian Sea, west of Corfu. A final agreement has yet to be signed. Total is this venture’s operator with a 50 percent stake, while ELPE and Edison hold respective 25 percent stakes.

Final agreements also remain pending for blocks awarded to ELPE in the Arta-Preveza and northwest Peloponnese areas, as well as a block granted to Energean Oil & Gas in the Etoloakarnania area.