The government launched the tender this year after Chevron and oil refiner HelleniQ Energy expressed interest in four deep-sea blocks off the Peloponnese peninsula and the island of Crete.
The deadline for bids was at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
The submission of the bid is seen as an advantage for Greece in the geopolitical game of influence with Turkey.
In a statement to Kathimerini, Chevron confirmed that, together with HelleniQ Energy, it has submitted a joint bid and expressed confidence in the timely completion of the tender evaluations.
“Chevron confirms it has submitted bids, jointly with HelleniQ Energy, to Greece’s Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company (HEREMA) for 4 open blocks offshore Greece.”
“We are looking forward to working with the regulator to successfully complete the tender evaluation processes and we will share further details at the appropriate time,” Chevron added.
The American company also emphasized that the Eastern Mediterranean is a key priority. “Chevron has a large and important position in the Eastern Mediterranean, a region which is very much a part of our future and a priority for us.”
HelleniQ Energy also released a statement confirming the bid. “This participation complements and consolidates HelleniQ Energy’s exploration and production activities in the area, while for Chevron this is a new country entry,” the Greek member of the consortium said.
The nominal ally and eternal rival has attempted to make use of a memorandum signed with Libya’s government in Tripoli, one of two rival centers of power in the divided country, delimiting their respective maritime zones.
In the memorandum, deemed illegal by most countries, Turkey promoted its theory that islands, including ones as large as Crete, do not have their own continental shelf.
“Today, the Chevron and Helleniq Energy consortium announced its participation in the international competition for the four offshore blocks south of Crete and the Peloponnese. This opens a new chapter for the exploitation of the underwater energy wealth of our homeland. This is a development of hope and perspective for our country,” said Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou.
“Greece, with national self-confidence, is laying solid foundations for its energy self-sufficiency and leveraging its geopolitical position in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the minister continued.
“The government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis is fulfilling its duty to our children and future generations, implementing its commitments for an energy-secure, investment-attractive and geopolitically strong Greece. Starting tomorrow, we are moving forward even more decisively, faster, unlocking our country’s potential for progress and prosperity for all Greeks, for all Greeks.”
Greece, which produces very small volumes of oil, has ramped up renewables output in recent years but still relies heavily on gas for power generation. The country aims to tap domestic resources as part of a European Union push to shift away from Russian energy after Moscow invaded Ukraine.
Major gas finds off Egypt, which lies south of Crete, have sparked hopes that Greek waters could also contain significant gas reserves.
The area off Crete borders two licensed blocks where an ExxonMobil-led consortium has been seismic data before taking any final decision on test drilling.
(by ekathimerini.com, September 10, 2025, with additional reporting Reuters]