Drilling for natural gas in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone will go ahead as scheduled and the process is to start October 1, “perhaps even a week earlier”, Director of Energy Service at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Solon Kassinis told CNA on Wednesday.

“The drilling is scheduled for October 1, we might be able to start maybe a week earlier”, Kassinis said, underlining that “Cyprus Government is acting on the basis of the international law; we have even conducted environmental studies on the matter”.
He also emphasized that not only Greek Cypriot but “all legal residents of the country are to benefit from the findings”.

Kassinis explained that the whole drilling process will take approximately two months and it will determine both the quantity and quality of the natural gas. “At the same time”, he explained, “we will thoroughly discuss the way we will transfer the gas, if it will be transferred via a pipeline, how big this pipeline will be, who is to be involved in the procedure and whether we will be able to export it via a liquefaction plant”.

According to Kassinis, a meeting between the new Minister of Commerce Praxoulla Antoniadou and Noble Energy officials is to take place on the 18th, “in order to discuss all these matters among others”.