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A Monday meeting between the Ministers of Transport and Energy with representatives of energy giants Total, ENI and Noble, culminated in the decision for a technical committee to record the needs of the oil and gas companies, in moving the firms from Larnaca to Limassol as a base of operations. Special arrangements for Total within 10 days of the meeting are to be made, given the firm’s tighter drilling time window.

The meeting was held on Monday at the Transport ministry, to discuss the energy firms’ moves from Larnaca port to Limassol, after last week’s marginal vote by Larnaca Municipal Council against granting the companies an extension of operations at the town’s port.

Following Monday’s meeting, Transport Minister Marios Demetriades and Energy Minister George Lakkotrypis stressed the need to find a permanent solution to avoid further inconvenience to the oil and gas companies, with the technical committee projected to wrap up its task within a few weeks.

Time was more pressing in serving Total, though, given that the French energy firm had scheduled drilling at Plot 11 by the end of August. Special arrangements would thus be made to expedite Total’s operations.

“What was decided together with the companies is to create a technical committee which, together with the firms, would examine what areas they would require (for their operation), as well as their respective schedules, so as to find the best possible solution in serving the hydrocarbon industry,” said Demetriades.

Asked whether the companies had expressed the intention to abandon Cyprus, the Transport Minister said the matter had not been raised. What was important was to find a permanent solution for the companies to obviate further inconvenience to them that would in turn necessitate further meetings.

Minister Demetriades said the technical committee would have to wrap up its findings regarding the firms’ needs within the next few weeks, but had up to 10 days to do the same for Total.

For his part, Lakkotrypis stressed that each energy firm’s needs were different, as were their preferred timelines for operations.

According to the Energy Minister, Noble and ENI’s schedules were less stringent and more longer term than Total’s, not to mention that Noble’s needs were not limited to drilling alone, but encompassed those arising from its development of the Aphrodite field. As for ENI, its upcoming drilling operations were scheduled for 2017, he said.

ENI and Total will invite tenders for third-party firms to facilitate the move to Limassol, whereas Noble will handle the move itself, noted Lakkotrypis.

Insiders had earlier argued that both Total and ENI could consider setting up a base in neighbouring countries such as Egypt or Israel if Cyprus became too difficult a prospect, logistically.

But Demetriades had told the Weekly last week that: “we don’t want to push away any oil and gas company, of course we want them to stay and work from Cyprus … Limassol port is more than happy to accommodate them, the facilities are there.

Larnaca Council’s ‘No’ vote last week was the result of 13 votes against, 12 in favour, one abstention and one absentee.

Councillors of main Opposition left-wing Akel joined forces with those of centre Diko and socialist Edek to kick the energy companies out of Larnaca. Ruling Disy was all in favour of the extension.

The council’s negative vote was sparked by protests from activists who have opposed any industrial activity.