Oil exploration tender for west Greece published in EU journal

An international tender for exploration and exploitation rights at three onshore locations in western Greece was published today in the Official Journal of the European Union, giving interested companies the green light to begin submitting offers.

The tender concerns spots in the Arta-Preveza area, Eteloakarnania, and northwest Peloponnese. Bidders have until February 6, 2015 to make their offers.

Italian company Enel had jumped the gun long before today’s official announcement, submitting an offer for all three areas earlier this year, on April 14.

The range of criteria to be applied in assessing offers include the financial sustainability of applicants to conduct exploration work, proven technical ability and experience, quality of bids submitted and time schedules proposed for an area to be explored and exploited, understanding of the geological environment, as well as hydrocarbon exploration methods to be applied.

Besides the interest already expressed by Enel in the three locations, Greek company Energean Oil & Gas has already declared its interest, announcing it will participate in the tender. Speaking at a recent multi-conference in Athens, “Capital & Vision”, the company’s Chief Executive Officer Mathios Rigas noted that Energean Oil & Gas is already active with a hydrocarbon project in the nearby Ioannina area, which, in geological terms, represents a natural extension of the tender’s three areas.

Another major tender, for the exploration and exploitation of twenty offshore blocks in the Ionian Sea and south of Crete is expected to also be published soon in the Official Journal of the European Union. The Greek government had forwarded both tenders to the journal together. Translation of a tender’s text in all required languages and completion of protocol procedures are necessary prior to publication.