Cyprus will proceed with eight drillings for hydrocarbons in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) over the next 24 months, the country’s Energy Minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis announced on Tuesday.

“Activities in the Cyprus EEZ continue. Eight drillings have been scheduled for the next 24 months. Six exploratory and two confirmatory,” he said during a press conference on the work of his ministry for the period March 2018-April 2019.

Lakkotrypis did not reveal in which blocks of the drillings will take place, but said that the targets have already been identified and drillings will begin before the end of the year or in the beginning of 2020.

He also said that the government is at the final stage of the licensing procedure for Block 7.

[Kathimerini Cyprus]