IENE’s two-day International Workshop on «Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production in the East Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea», which was held recently (26-27 April, 2012) in Athens, turned out to be an important gathering of hydrocarbon experts, professionals, academics and decision makers of the region. More than 60 participants had the opportunity to exchange information and ideas on the latest developments and future prospects of the hydrocarbon sector of the respective countries.

A keynote speech by the Deputy Minister of Environment, Energy & Climate Change of Greece, Dr. John Maniatis opened the Workshop, which was held under the auspices of the Ministry. Dr. Maniatis focused on the recent decisions of the Ministry, which put, after a long time, Greece again on track, as far as hydrocarbon exploration is concerned. He, also, stressed the importance of further promoting the steps taken so far, by the government to come, so that the country can, in the near future, proceed with the production phase. The Chairman of IENE, Dr. John Desypris stressed the importance of hydrocarbon exploration which, as he said, has been a key area of interest for the Institute since its inception.

Under the co-ordination of Mr. Costis Stambolis, Executive Director of IENE, the Workshop first session started with a brief, yet informative, presentation of the global hydrocarbon exploration scene, by Ms. Teresa Fokianou, CEO of Flow S.A. & member of IENE’s BoD.

The Wokshop proceeded with a thorough overview of the East Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea region’s geology and upstream activities. This was presented by Mr. Konstantinos Oikonomopoulos, Petroleum Geologist and IENE Associate, who prepared a special IENE background paper on the subject.

The first session concluded with a presentation by Prof. Angelos Syrigos (International & European Studies Dept., Panteion University, Athens), who referred to all international and bilateral treaties concluded by the countries of region, as far as Maritime Law is concerned, with a special focus on the legal status of exploration and production hydrocarbon activities.

On Friday, April 27, the Workshop’s second day, high-ranking officials and experts from seven countries of the region (Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Israel, Turkey, Montenegro and Croatia) described the situation of hydrocarbon exploration and development in each of these countries. Mr. Ongun Yoldemir, CEO of the Merty Energy of Turkey, and Dr. Amit Mor, CEO of ECO Energy of Israel, were among the participating speakers, followed by a presentation by the Director of the Energy Service, Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Tourism of Cyprus, Mr. Solon Kasinis.

An in-depth analysis of the current situation and future prospects of the hydrocarbon sector in Albania and Montenegro was also provided by Mr. Ilia Gjermani (Expert, Policy and Development Sector, General Regulatory Directorate, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy, Albania) and Mr. Vladan Dubljevic (Deputy Minister for Mining and Geological Researches Sector, Ministry of Economy, Montenegro) respectively. There was, also, an exhaustive presentation of Croatia’s hydrocarbon sector by Mr. Goran Bejdic, Manager of Exploration Projects SE Europe, of Croatia’s leading hydrocarbon company, INA Industrija Nafte.

During the workshop’s last session, which focused on Greece, attended by top experts of the country’s hydrocarbon sector, Dr. Constantinos Nicolaou (Petroleum Geologist, Member of IENE’s Board of Directors) and Mr. George Zafeiropoulos, (Exploration Manager, Hellenic Petroleum S.A.) referred to past hydrocarbon exploration in the country. Mr. Mathios Rigas (Managing Director, Energean Oil & Gas) focused on the challenging focusing his company, that operates Greece’s only oil field at Prinos, has been facing due to bureaucratic and other obstacles, whereas Prof. Emeritus Antonios Foscolos (Technical University of Crete), speaking on behalf of Mr. Elias Konofagos, (Chemical Engineer, Executive Vice President Hydrocarbons, Flow S.A.), highlighted Greece’s potential hydrocarbon fields in several areas of the Greek seas. Finally, Prof.. Sofia Stamataki, (Mining Engineering, School of Mining& Metallurgical Engineering, NTUA) referred in detail to the steps involved in the state’s policy, as far as the Ministry of Environment, Energy & Climate Change of Greece is concerned.

A vivid roundtable discussion among the Workshop participants took place, indicating the region’s advancing importance as far as hydrocarbon exploration and production is concerned. It must also be noted that this was the first international workshop ever to be organized by IENE on a regional level as far as hydrocarbon exploration and production is concerned.

IENE’s International Workshop on «Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production in the East Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea» was sponsored by Energean Oil & Gas and supported by Hellenic Petroleum S.A.