Chevron's expression of interest in the domestic hydrocarbons market announced this week appears to have ramped up the pace, with the tender expected in the next few months. 

According to Hellenic Energy CEO Aristophanes Stefatos, "the expression of interest by Chevron and HelleniQ Energy for new offshore hydrocarbon exploration and production areas is a very important and time-critical development. Following the successful completion of the first phase of the exploration programs in the Southwest of Crete by ExxonMobil, in Block 10 and the Ionian Sea by HelleniQ Energy, and in Block 2 by Energean, the interest in new areas confirms our assessment that Greece has significant potential for the discovery of economically exploitable natural gas reserves.". 

NEXT STEPS 

It was announced yesterday that the EDEYEP

• submitted a recommendation to the Ministry of Environment and Energy regarding the launch of the licensing process for the award of exclusive rights to explore and produce hydrocarbons, which was accepted
• is finalising the draft invitation to international interest for the Block A2 and South Peloponnese areas and will submit it to the Ministry within the month. These are the areas in which Chevron and HelleniQ Energy have expressed interest. 

Following the approval of the Ministry of Environment, the call for interest will be published in the Official Gazette and the Official Journal of the European Union. The date of publication of the latter will be the date of the start of the tender, with interested parties being invited to submit a binding offer within 90 days. After the closing date, the NECC will proceed to the evaluation of the tenders in order to submit its recommendation to the Ministry. 
In relation to the next steps, Stefatos noted that the aim is to select a contractor within this year.

STUDY 

In addition, the EDEYEP yesterday submitted to the Environmental Licensing Directorate (DIPA) of the Ministry of Environment and the Strategic Environmental Impact Study (SEIS) for the environmental assessment of the new exploration areas. The study area concerns a narrow maritime zone extending between the southwest and south of the Peloponnese and to the west of Crete, between areas that already have environmental conditions as issued at the time of their inclusion in the 2014 and 2018 international concession tenders.