President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday described the latest announcements by ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy as a “vote of confidence” in the prospects of Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and in the role of the Eastern Mediterranean as a potential energy corridor to Europe.
Speaking during a meeting with representatives of ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy at the Presidential Palace, Christodoulides revealed that discussions are also under way concerning additional offshore blocks, while the US energy giant stressed that the next major challenge is the development of the two existing discoveries.
Welcoming the delegation, the President said the latest announcements provide “clear proof and a vote of confidence” in Cyprus’ offshore energy prospects and in the strategic importance of the Eastern Mediterranean.
He added that Nicosia is looking forward to further positive developments in the near future, noting that discussions involving additional exploration blocks are ongoing.
“There is hope that relevant announcements will be possible soon,” he said.
Christodoulides also described the presence of ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy in Cyprus’ EEZ as one of the most significant developments for the Republic of Cyprus, praising the companies’ professionalism and leadership in the global energy sector and expressing satisfaction with the cooperation between the parties.
For his part, ExxonMobil Vice President John Ardill said the company’s presence in Cyprus has been a long journey dating back to 2017.
He noted that success in the energy sector can never be taken for granted and that exploration efforts do not always lead to discoveries. In Cyprus’ case, however, two discoveries have been made, which he described as a particularly significant outcome for the country.
Ardill added that the next challenge is now the development of those discoveries, stressing that the project has so far been highly successful for all parties involved.
