Petroleum geology

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.

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.

Montenegro, which is hoping to find oil and gas reserves off its coast, said on Friday it has extended Energean Oil & Gas's licence by a year to explore two blocks as the Greek company required more time.

Montenegro awarded Energean a 30-year oil and gas exploration licence in 2017 for the blocks covering a combined 338 square kilometers in the Adriatic Sea's shallow waters.

Turkey's Fatih drilling vessel is set to start its drilling activities in a new location, the energy and natural resources minister has said.

The Competent Authority for Regulation of Offshore Oil Operations in the Black Sea (ACROPO) has sent Lukoil Overseas its greenlight so the latter may start oil drilling operations in the Trident perimeter of the Romanian Black Sea territorial waters, according to a Facebook post of the institution. "In accordance with the provisions of Law no.

Eni is not concerned about escalating tensions between Cyprus and Turkey over the question of offshore drilling and would seek to stay clear of any conflict, the Italian oil and gas group's Chief Executive said on Thursday.