Successive meetings in Houston with high-ranking executives from energy giants Chevron and ExxonMobil were held today by the Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastaurou, aiming, as stated by the Ministry, to accelerate the development of the hydrocarbon sector. Mr. Papastaurou visited Chevron’s headquarters, where he met with Mr. Kevin McLachlan, Vice President for Exploration. From Chevron’s side, Ms. Tali Lederman, Senior Manager Commercial for North Africa and the Mediterranean, Ms. Beatrice Bienvenu, Country Manager-Greece, and Mr. Paul Landis, Senior Manager Exploration for the Mediterranean also participated.
Papastaurou meetings with Chevron & ExxonMobil: Focus on upcoming Block 2 drilling
The discussion centered on Chevron’s growing interest in Greece in the hydrocarbon sector. This interest was manifested through the company’s application to participate in a 5th marine block with a 70% stake in Area 10 of the South Ionian Sea. The Greek side informed Chevron about expediting the necessary regulatory approvals and invited them to Athens next week to complete the prescribed procedure. At the same time, the next steps for seismic surveys in the four existing marine blocks south of Crete and south of the Peloponnese were discussed. Subsequently, the Minister of Environment and Energy met with Mr. Neil Hartley, Head of ExxonMobil’s exploration programs in Europe and North Africa. The discussion focused on developments in the Middle East and the upgraded role of the Eastern Mediterranean in the hydrocarbon sector. Particular emphasis was placed on progress regarding the exploratory drilling scheduled to take place in the Northwest Ionian in February 2027, aimed at strengthening Greece’s energy presence in the region.
The 3+1 ministerial meeting and EMEC establishment
Later, Mr. Papastaurou will participate in the Ministerial Meeting of the 3+1 Cooperation Scheme for Energy, together with the American Secretary of Energy, Mr. Chris Wright, the Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry of Cyprus, Mr. Michalis Damianou, the Israeli Ambassador to the United States Dr. Yechiel Leiter, and the Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Energy, Mr. Moshe Dayan. Following the conference, the Minister will have a private meeting with his American counterpart, Mr. Wright, to further strengthen bilateral energy relations. The visit will conclude with the signing of the declaration for the establishment of the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center (EMEC). The new center will serve as a reference point for research and development of energy security and cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean, strengthening synergies between states and promoting entrepreneurship in the region.
