ATHENS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Seismic surveys to search for natural gas reserves will begin on Tuesday, in the Ionian Sea off northwestern Greece and the island of Crete, Greek national news agency AMNA has reported.
The surveys will be ongoing throughout the winter months, the Hellenic Hydrocarbons and Energy Resources Management Company S.A. said.
Successful surveys were completed in the Ionian sea earlier this year, the company added.
According to studies conducted by the company and the Institute of Energy for Southeast Europe (IENE), Greek reserves may be worth 250 billion euros (250 billion U.S. dollars), the Greek daily newspaper "Kathimerini" has reported.
"Although our country remains committed to fast green transition, we need to explore whether there is a prospect of extraction of natural gas that would contribute to our own energy security, and also to that of Europe," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told local TV channel ANT1 on Monday evening. (1 euro= 1 U.S. dollar) ■
