Finally, the research of hydrocarbons in sections 2, 3 and 9 of the EEZ, says the Ministry of Energy of Cyprus

The investigations in Sections 2, 3 and 9 of the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (AEZ) did not detect any exploitable deposits, thus not renewing the licenses confirmed at the Cyprus News Agency (Cyprus) its Minister of Energy, Trade and Industry, George Papanastasiou. This development also results in the departure of Korean state gas company Kogas from AEZ Cyprus, after holding 20% of the rights in these pieces. At the same time, the Italian Eni, who has a leading role in the consortium, now retains rights in four parts (6, 7, 8 and 11) of the AEZ in collaboration with French Total instead of the seven they held until before. CORVERSE In a question for a publication of the energy website MEES (Middle East Economic Survey) to return the rights of pieces 2, 3 and 9 at the end of January, Mr Papanastasiou confirmed that the licenses expired without renewal, as the investigations did not yield encouraging results in relation to the existence of natural gas. ‘The licences have expired in these pieces. In sections 2 and 9 completed the studies revealed that there is nothing that promises natural gas and we did not renew,” he said. He added that the same applies to Section 3, where investigations were more limited. The Minister noted that the non-renewal of the licenses is a “natural development”, since not all parts of the Cyprus EEZ were expected to have deposits. The research authorisations for pieces 2, 3 and 9 entered into force in January 2013, when they were assigned to a consortium of Eni Cyprus Limited and Kogas Cyprus Limited. Subsequently, TOTAL E&P Cyprus BV entered the consortium. The licensed areas carried out seismic surveys of 2D and 3D, as well as two research drilling in Section 9, which, despite the large depths to which they reached (5,800 meters for the drilling of Amathusa-1 and 5,485 metres for Onasagoras-1), did not lead to the detection of exploitable quantities of natural gas. In section 3 the work started in 2018, was harassed by the Turkish warship.