Greece and Libya agree to maritime delimitation talks amid Turkish competition
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on May 3, 2026, that Greece and Libya have agreed to advance discussions through technical committees on delimiting the continental shelf and exclusive economic zone. The announcement comes a week after Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis visited Libya and follows a 2019 maritime accord between Libya and Turkey. Turkey's state oil company TPAO signed a memorandum with Libya's NOC in June 2025 to conduct seismic surveys in four offshore blocks.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on May 3, 2026, that Greece and Libya have agreed to advance discussions through technical committees for the delimitation of the continental shelf and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The announcement came a week after Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis visited Libya.
The move follows a 2019 maritime accord between Turkey and Libya that includes provisions for Turkish hydrocarbon exploration within Libya's territorial waters, though the accord has not been fully implemented. In 2022, Turkey and Libya signed a hydrocarbon memorandum of understanding, paving the way for Turkish companies to conduct seismic surveys and drilling operations.
On June 25, 2025, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) signed a memorandum of understanding with Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) for a 2D seismic survey in four offshore blocks off the Libyan coast. The survey area covers 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles), and data collected during the surveys will be processed within nine months.
Last year, tensions escalated when Greece launched an international tender for oil and gas exploration south of the island of Crete, in an area disputed with Libya.