As Kathimerini first reported on Friday, the Greek Navy on Saturday issued a new navigational telex (Navtex) extending the scope of seismic studies for hydrocarbon resources off the coast of Crete.
The ExxonMobil research area will now include a more extensive area south of the island's shore in the Aegean Sea than it did under the former Navtex, which was reserved on November 7.
According to the earliest NAVTEX published, the research vessel Sanco Swift is widening the extent of the seismic investigations it is doing southwest of Crete today, November 26, until later while being assisted by Alexander 3.
Passing vessels are advised to "maintain a safety distance of 8 nautical miles from the stern" by the same Navtex.
Sanco Swift is ExxonMobil's Norwegian exploration vessel leased to conduct the surveying.
ExxonMobil submitted the request to expand the area of research to Greece’s Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company (EDEYEP).
Seen as an indicator of the company’s interest, ExxonMobil is now seeking to conduct 2D seismic surveys across an area of 11,000 square kilometres in the 2022-2023 winter period against an original target of 6,500 square kilometres.
