The American company Chevron has expressed interest in exploring and exploiting hydrocarbon deposits in the Aegean Sea, the official representative of the Greek government, Pavlos Marinakis, told reporters at a briefing.
"Another business giant demonstrates its confidence in the prospects of our country by expressing interest in geological exploration in the offshore area southwest of the Peloponnese and west of Crete. This is the American company Chevron, the second largest private company in the world operating in the hydrocarbon industry“, Marinakis said.
He said that Chevron's interest, combined with the fact that the American company ExxonMobil is already active in Greece, “marks the simultaneous presence of two energy giants and reinforces the belief that Greece can play a leading role in the global energy market“. “This confirms that our country is an attractive place for investment and is another practical recognition of the Greek government's strategy“, the cabinet representative added.
He noted that the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy approves Chevron's interest in geological exploration and will begin issuing a corresponding decision within a week, which will ensure the exact scale of the geological exploration and the immediate announcement of an international tender. “At the same time, the Greek company Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management will present today a corresponding strategic study on the environmental impact of the resource exploration“, he said.
According to Marinakis “this investment is a very important development that responds to the national strategy for energy independence and lower energy costs with parallel initiatives to strengthen the protection of the marine environment.“ A government representative noted that about 11,000 sq.m are added to the existing exploration sites. km of territory, which will positively affect the chances of finding large gas deposits. Joining another investor in the exploration also increases the likelihood of success, Marinakis concluded.