Greece’s Block 2 Offshore Gas Exploration Moves Into Final Preparatory Phase

Greece’s first exploratory hydrocarbon drilling campaign in the offshore Block 2 concession in the northwestern Ionian Sea is entering a decisive new phase, as preparations gather pace ahead of the long-awaited operation.

According to reliable sources, the ExxonMobil–Energean–HelleniQ Energy consortium has completed the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which is expected to be submitted to the Environmental Licensing Directorate of the Ministry of Environment and Energy later this month.

At the same time, the Port of Igoumenitsa has effectively been selected as the logistical hub for the drilling campaign. A formal agreement is expected to be signed in the coming weeks, before the environmental study is filed. Igoumenitsa had long been considered the leading candidate because of its proximity to Block 2 and its infrastructure, which is well suited to supporting offshore energy operations.