[AP]
US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, who also heads the US National Energy Dominance Council, took to social media Tuesday to praise the signing of exclusive lease agreements Monday by a consortium led by US oil major Chevron to search for natural gas off southern Greece.
“Great to see this deal finalized after two trips to Greece last year to promote the production of reliable and affordable energy that supports our shared security and prosperity. Partnerships like this are strengthening Europe’s energy independence and creating more American jobs!” Burgum posted on X.
“This historic agreement reflects the strong partnership between our two countries – and our shared belief that energy addition is key to economic and national security,” he added, congratulating US Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou, and the companies involved in the consortium.
The agreement allows Chevron to lead the search for gas in four deep-sea blocks south of the Peloponnese peninsula and the island of Crete, covering 47,000 square kilometers (18,147 square miles). It follows Chevron and Helleniq Energy, Greece’s largest oil refiner, winning an international tender last year.
The Greek parliament must approve the lease contracts before the consortium can begin seismic research later this year. Greece has said the consortium will have up to five years to identify potential recoverable deposits, with any test drilling not expected before 2030-2032.