Prime minster: Greece to speed up gas exploration to reduce dependence on Russia

(MENAFN) The Greek premier stated that they are going to speed up its hydrocarbon drilling and gas exploration to decrease its dependence on Russian energy.

The move comes as many other European nations are seeking to cut their reliance on Russian energy, mainly because of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

“We have indications that make us cautiously optimistic,” Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated while on a trip to the Hellenic Hydrocarbon Resources Organization, as stated by public broadcaster ERT.

“We have to know with certainty whether there are reserves that are economically viable to extract. We will know by the end of 2023.”

He stressed that decreasing dependence on Russian natural gas and the pursuit for fossil fuel remedies, which would guarantee the nation’s self-sufficiency in addition to more reasonable costs, are the only options for Greece.

The work is going to be mainly focusing on six areas – one in the northern Epirus district and five locations on the ocean within exclusive financial zones, as well as the Ionian Sea, Gulf of Kyparissia, and Crete.

But Mitsotakis stated that the nation is not going to leave its long-term objective of decreasing carbon emissions.

As part of decreasing its reliance on Russian energy, Greece announced that it is going to produce twice as much of lignite.

Before the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out, Russia supplied about 40 percent of Greece’s natural gas intake.

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