‘Diplomatic engagement is key’ for Chevron’s energy project

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum arrives astatine the White House successful Washington aft attending the inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit successful Pittsburgh, connected July 15, 2025. [Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times]

US Secretary of the Interior and Chairman of the Energy Dominance Council Doug Burgum described Chevron’s ceremonial look of involvement south of Crete arsenic a affirmative improvement for broader American vigor interests successful the Eastern Mediterranean. 

Speaking successful an exclusive interrogation with Kathimerini conscionable days aft his instrumentality to Washington, Burgum stressed that Greece is simply a “key spouse successful advancing US vigor and information interests successful the Eastern Mediterranean” adding that with “American-supported infrastructure similar the Revithoussa LNG Terminal, we’re helping Europe diversify distant from Russian state while strengthening determination stability alongside allies similar Israel and Cyprus.”

According to the US “energy czar,” Greece “is acceptable for transformative collaborations.”

What did you spot connected the crushed during your caller trip to Greece? In the LNG sector, what steps bash you think Athens should take to cement its relation arsenic a determination hub?

At the Revithoussa LNG Terminal, we saw firsthand however 35 vessels person delivered LNG this year, 31 of them coming from the US. This increasing volume of American earthy state shipments to Greece is simply a testament to the expanding strength of this vigor partnership. As this practice flourishes, it’s wide that some countries are making important strides toward strengthening Europe’s vigor security, with the US playing a cardinal relation successful this shift.

On Greece’s strong capabilities successful shipbuilding and the maritime sector, what opportunities bash you spot for US-Greek cooperation?

Greece remains a ascendant unit successful planetary shipping, and we expect to spot dynamic discussions and caller opportunities to further grow this vital sector, particularly arsenic Greece and the US research caller avenues for collaboration. The outlook for the shipping manufacture betwixt our two countries is promising, with these talks paving the way for adjacent much important investments and strategic partnerships.

Should we expect accrued US concern successful Greek shipyards, oregon much of a technology-share and know-how concern model?

During a productive treatment with the Greek ministers of improvement and shipping astatine the Elefsis shipyards, it was wide that Greece is primed for transformative collaborations successful the shipping and shipbuilding industries. While we don’t person immoderate contiguous announcements, these areas are intelligibly precocious connected the agenda. Greece’s unique location, coupled with Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ pro-investment policies, makes the state an progressively charismatic destination for planetary investment, peculiarly from the United States.

How bash the strong US-Greek vigor ties acceptable into the broader American information strategy successful the Eastern Mediterranean?

Greece sits astatine a strategic crossroads, making it a cardinal spouse successful advancing US vigor and information interests successful the Eastern Mediterranean. With American-supported infrastructure similar the Revithoussa LNG Terminal, we’re helping Europe diversify distant from Russian state while strengthening determination stability alongside allies similar Israel and Cyprus. Greece’s pro-investment policies and geographic presumption are turning it into a captious vigor hub, with semipermanent imaginable successful areas similar geothermal and LNG expansion. These partnerships besides reenforce NATO, counterbalance China’s increasing influence, and support a unafraid vigor future. To stay competitive, particularly successful the AI and concern race, the US indispensable prioritize vigor abundance, not scarcity, successful its strategic alliances.

While you were successful Greece, Chevron officially expressed involvement successful the areas south of Crete. However, determination tensions – peculiarly with Turkey – person successful the past blocked vigor projects. How tin the US guarantee that these projects, successful which American vigor giants are funny and which align with the vision you person astatine the Energy Dominance Council for the Eastern Mediterranean, proceed without problems?

This is simply a strong and strategic collaboration betwixt Chevron and HelleniQ Energy, and it was a privilege to beryllium with the Greek curate of vigor connected the time the bids were opened. It’s very encouraging that this task appears to beryllium moving forward, and that’s a affirmative step not lone for Greece’s vigor abundance and security, but besides for broader US vigor interests successful the Eastern Mediterranean. If the US wants to guarantee that projects similar this really determination forward, then strong diplomatic engagement is key. That includes sustained support for determination vigor practice and reinforcing to our allies that US vigor enactment is semipermanent and reliable.