The Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy approved the Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments for hydrocarbons research in two areas in Western Greece. This way the Parliament can now approve the activation of the contracts for Aitoloakarnania and Northwestern Peloponnese.

The companies that were awarded the contracts are Energean for the first area, and Hellenic Petroleum for the second. The Aitoloakarnania contract is for a 3.778,3 sq.km while the Northwestern Peloponnese contract is 4.360,3 sq.km.

The assessments that were approved include provisions for all the environmental and technical details necessary for the researches to go ahead.

The two companies are already performing researches since May 2014 for two other areas: Hellenic Petroleum in the Gulf of Patras and Energean on the land area of Ioannina and the deposit in Katakolon.