On June 10, the Institute of Energy for SE Europe (IENE) organized, in Athens, an Open Forum on "Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production in Greece and the East Mediterranean”On June 10, the Institute of Energy for SE Europe (IENE) organized, in Athens, an Open Forum on "Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production in Greece and the East Mediterranean”. IENE’s event brought together high-ranking representatives from Greece’s hydrocarbon sector, senior executives from companies active in oil and gas research in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as experts, academics and senior officials from several foreign embassies in Athens.
The main discussion evolved around the strategy that needs to be adopted for developing Greece’s hydrocarbon resources, as well as an analysis of latest sectoral developments in Greece, Cyprus and Israel. "A Strategy for Unlocking Greece’s Hydrocarbon Potential”, a very topical study by IENE, was the Forum’s special feature, presented by its authors Mr. Costis Stambolis (Executive Director of IENE), Dr. Constantinos Nikolaou (Petroleum Geologist and Energy Economist, Technical Advisor to the Energean Oil & Gas and Director of Cyprus Hydrocarbon Company –CHC, Member of IENE's BoD), and Mr. Gus Papamichalopoulos (Lawyer, Senior Partner of KG Law Firm and Secretary General of IENE).
The Forum opened with a keynote speech by Prof. Apostolos Alexopoulos, Secretary General at Greece’s Ministry of Reconstruction of Production, Environment & Energy, who described the government’s strategy for the sector. Prof. Sofia Stamataki, President of the Hellenic Hydrocarbon Resources Management S.A, made a detailed presentation of the ongoing 2nd International Licensing Round, which has on offer 20 blocks offshore in the Ionian Sea off western Greece and south of Crete. There was, also, an intervention by Mr. Ioannis Maniatis, Professor at the University of Piraeus and Greece’s Former Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, describing the strategy of the previous government on hydrocarbons and leveling his criticism on steps taken by the present one.
Dr. Charles Ellinas, CEO of Cyprus Natural Hydrocarbons Company Ltd (CNCH), made a detailed presentation on latest developments in Cyprus and Israel focusing on the key moves now pending on FID for the two large projects in the region, the Leviathan field in Israel and Aphrodite in Cyprus.
A roundtable discussion followed, chaired by Dr. Constantinos Nikolaou, with the participation of Dr. Spyridon Bellas (Head of Hydrocarbon Directorate, Ministry of of Reconstruction of Production, Environment & Energy, Greece), Mr. Ioannis Gregoriou (Director, Hydrocarbons Research & Production, Hellenic Petroleum SA., Greece), Mr. Mathios Rigas (CEO, Energean Oil & Gas, Greece) and Dr. Elias Konofagos (Executive Vice-President, Flow SA, Greece).
This IENE Forum was part of a series of events organized by the Institute actively promoting, at national and international level, Greece’s efforts on hydrocarbon exploration as well as upstream activity in the East Mediterranean. Since 2012, the Institute has already organized two special events in Athens, namely an International Workshop on "Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production in the East Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea” (April 26-27, 2012) and the 2nd SE Europe Regional Upstream Workshop on "Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production in the Adriatic, the Black Sea and the East Mediterranean” (October 31 – November 1, 2013), with the participation of specialists, executives from international companies with experience and active presence in the region in the upstream sector, government officials etc. The success of this effort by IENE was once more evident in yesterday’s Forum, which attracted more than 70 participants.
Hellenic Petroleum SA. and Energean Oil & Gas were the sponsors of this IENE event. A microsite where all Forum speeches, presentations and interventions will be loaded will become available later this month.
