ExxonMobil

Tenders for offshore oil and gas exploration and exploitation west and south of Greece have attracted "strong interest" from companies exploring in the Mediterranean, the head of Greece's oil and gas resources management company said on Wednesday.

This fall will be full of developments in Cyprus’ energy sector, with the results of the West Capella drilling in block 11 set to be announced in September.

Greece launched two tenders on Monday for offshore oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the west and south of the country, the energy ministry said.

The move follows expressions of interest by a consortium of Total, Exxon Mobil and Hellenic Petroleum for exploration in two sites off the island of Crete, and by Greece's Energean for a block in the Ionian Sea in western Greece.

The United States on Thursday hit oil giant ExxonMobil with a $2 million fine for violating Ukraine-related sanctions at a time when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was still in charge of the company.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has accepted an award at the World Petroleum Congress, hosted by Turkey this year.

Council President Jozsef Toth described Tillerson, who is from Texas, as "a man born with oil in his veins" before presenting him with the Dewhurst Award, named after the founder of the congress, late on July 9. 

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will be honored with the highest recognition of the World Petroleum Council (WPC), the Dewhurst Award, for his "outstanding contribution to the oil and gas industry," the WPC announced in a statement late on June 21. 

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit Turkey to attend the 22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC), which will take place in Istanbul between July 9 and 13, according to the statement released by the World Petroleum Council on June 9.        

The council stated that during the Congress, Tillerson would receive the highest honor from the World Petroleum Council.        

Greece has received interest for hydrocarbons exploration and exploitation in two sites off the island of Crete from a consortium of Exxon Mobil, France's Total and Greece's Hellenic Petroleum, the energy ministry said on Wednesday.

US oil major ExxonMobil plans to invest around 5 billion euros in the development of hydrocarbon deposits off Greek shores, Kathimerini understands.

The government has sent a positive message to the global oil industry just days after ExxonMobil and Total officials visited Athens. Environment and Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis on Thursday signed  concession agreements for the onshore blocks in Arta-Preveza and the northwestern Peloponnese with Hellenic Petroleum (ELPE), and in Aitoloacarnania with Energean Oil & Gas.