Turkey on Thursday slammed Greece’s “unilateral activities” in signing lease agreements with a Chevron-led consortium for exploration offshore southern Crete.
“Greece’s unilateral activities with international companies in hydrocarbon fields south of Crete do not directly affect our country’s maritime jurisdiction areas, but they constitute a violation of international law and good neighborly relations,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a weekly press briefing, as carried by the Türkiye Today news outlet.
Turkey has often criticized offshore exploration plans of its neighbor and fellow NATO member state, Greece, in the Mediterranean.
Relations have somewhat thawed in recent years but apparently Greece’s move to tap potential gas resources in the area have reignited frictions.
A 2019 agreement between Turkey and ?Libya set out their maritime border in the Mediterranean, but it was rejected by Greece as it ignored the presence of Crete, the Greek island, between the Turkish and Libyan coasts.
“We oppose this unlawful activity being attempted contrary to these agreements. We continue to provide the necessary support for Libyan authorities to take initiatives against Greece’s unilateral and unlawful activities,” Turkey said.
Earlier this week, Greece signed four lease contracts with a Chevron-led consortium for oil and gas exploration offshore Greece as the southern European country aims to become a major gas supplier in the Mediterranean.
Chevron, in partnership with Helleniq Energy, signed the lease agreements with Greece concerning the exploration of four offshore blocks south of Crete and the Peloponnese.
The four offshore blocks – South Crete 1, South Crete 2, South of Peloponnese, and Block A2 – cover a total area of approximately 47,000 square kilometers, or 18,147 square miles.
This effectively doubles the area Greece is making available for exploration.
With the signing of the lease agreements, Chevron joins the other U.S. supermajor, ExxonMobil, in gaining access to exploration access offshore Greece.
In November 2025, ExxonMobil expanded its exploration portfolio offshore Greece with a new farm-in agreement for a block in the northwestern Ionian Sea.
By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
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