“Activities within the Exclusive Economic Zone are ongoing. For the next 24 months we are planning eight drills, six exploratory and two appraisal drills,” energy minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis said presenting an overview of his ministry’s work over the past year.

He did not disclose where the drills would be taking place, but said the targets have been identified.

The intention is for the drilling programme to commence by the end of this year or early 2020.

On block 7, which is currently unlicensed, Lakkotrypis said that talks are advancing to grant the concession to a joint venture of France’s Total and Italy’s ENI.

At the same time, the government is engaging with these two companies so that they form joint ventures in all the blocks in which they now hold concessions separately.

“We have reached a preliminary agreement… the legal details remain for them to cooperate in all the blocks in which they are not together,” the minister told reporters.

On the Aphrodite reservoir in block 12, discovered in 2011, he said the government is close to a deal with the concession holders – Noble Energy, Shell and Delek.

The companies have submitted a development and production plan which is to be discussed at a workshop this week.

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