Now that the period for submission of candidate nomination ended for the maritime areas of Ionian Sea, of Southwest Crete and West of Crete, we know officially which consortia are bidding for exploration agreement. For the Ionian Sea it is consortium Repsol-Hellenic Petroleum, namely a greek-spanish alliance within the European Union and it is the only one for this tender. For Crete, namely both maritime areas, it is the consortium ExxonMobil – Total – Hellenic Petroleum, namely a greek-american-french alliance within NATO. The USA is a founding member of NATO since 1949. France is also a founding member since 1949 and founding member of the European Union since 1957. Spain was joined the NATO in 1982 and the European Union in 1986. So we realize that with Greece that is in NATO since 1952 and in the European Union in 1981, we have two powerful alliances and in a geostrategic level. The fact that the two consortia with common player the Hellenic Petroleum are candidates in two independent tenders and are the only ones in each of them, facilitates the strategic choices of Greece, since it can sign with them contracts without there being a competitive framework. So the time frame of 60 days, where Greece will provide her official response to the two consortia, can be used for the continuity and for the data of the contracts, since there will be negotiations. This can be said to be a success for the Hydrocarbons’ Tendering but of course for the greek EEZ also.

HHRM is pleased to announce that on the 5th of March 2018, at 17:00 p.m., the deadline for submission of the tenders was over:

A.” Call for tenders for granting and using authorisations for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in maritime areas to the South-West and to the West of Crete (blocks South-West Crete)” and “ West Crete ” Government Gazette B ‘2848 / 11-08 – 2017.

B. Call for tenders for granting and using authorisations for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in a maritime area to the west of Greece (“Ionian” block), Government Gazette B’ 2849 / 11-08-2017. The following bids were submitted:

A. Consortium Total -ExxonMobil –HELPE for “South-West Crete” and “West Crete” blocks.

B. Consortium Repsol – HELPE for “Ionian” block. The bidding process followed all legal requirements.

HHRM will proceed to the evaluation of the submitted bids, aiming to propose the selected applicant to the Minister of Environment and Energy in order to continue the awarding process.