Petroleum geology

New seismic surveys are coming to offshore blocks that have been granted by the Greek state to oil companies to locate possible natural gas deposits.

The first drilling is expected to take place at the land concession of Ioannina and the sea "block 2" located Northwest of Corfu, which will give the first picture of the size of the natural gas deposits in Greece.

Turkey's total oil imports increased by 42.4 percent on an annual basis to 4.03 million tons in December 2021, according to data released by the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) yesterday.

Crude oil imports, the category with the highest oil import volume, rose by 45.9 percent in December to 2.98 million tons, the energy watchdog said in its monthly report.

Turkey's fourth drill ship will begin drilling activities next summer, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said on Nov. 25.

The new ship, which is capable of operating in harsh sea conditions and even in high-pressure reservoirs, will join the fleet in the spring of 2022.

Engineering works at Turkey's Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea region are completed and the first subsea pipes will be laid in the spring of 2022, the Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez confirmed on Nov. 22.

The increasing exploration and drilling efforts for new wells after Turkey's Fatih drillship discovered 405 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in the Black Sea is about to bear fruits with further gas volumes.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will announce the recent developments in the field, which is expected to be about a new gas discovery.

Projections suggest Montenegro might have enough oil and gas out at sea to cover its own needs. It signed a concession contract in 2016 and officials say the first exploratory drilling might take up to six months.

But local residents and environmental activists are worried.

"There is no vision," said Natasa Kovacevic of the NGO Green Home.

An oil and gas exploration platform in the Black Sea. Photo: EPA-EFE/VASSIL DONEV

A consortium of Italy's Eni and Russia's Novatek plans on March 25 to start exploratory oil and gas drilling offshore from Montenegro under a concession contract signed in 2016.

Turkey is testing our patience and red lines. Every Greek is naturally deeply upset at the sight of a Turkish seismic survey vessel navigating a provocative course under the escort of several Turkish Navy units, all part of a well-staged show.

In anticipation of a crisis in September, when Turkey says it plans to begin drilling activities in Greece's continental shelf, Athens has elaborated four deterrence plans, while at the same bidding to keep channels of communication open with Ankara.