Chevron files request to acquire offshore Greek block, energy ministry says

ATHENS, May 28 (Reuters) – U.S. oil major Chevron has filed an ​official request to take ‌over a 70% stake from Greece’s Helleniq Energy  in an offshore block southwest ‌of ​Greece, the ⁠Greek energy ministry ⁠said on Thursday, in a move that would further expand the United ​States’ presence in the Mediterranean.

Once approved, Chevron ⁠will become ⁠the operator and ​lead the search for gas ​in Block 2 in ‌the southwest of the Ionian Sea, with Helleniq retaining 30%, the ⁠ministry said in a statement.

Greece is considering giving Chevron and ⁠Helleniq ‌more time to ⁠evaluate seismic data that ​have ‌been completed for ​the area ⁠before they decide on any exploratory drilling there, the ministry added.

(Reporting by Angeliki KoutantouEditing by Tomasz ​Janowski)