There is a clear and concerted American push into the oil and gas sector across North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. Chevron has been signing MOUs across the region, expanding beyond Egypt, Cyprus and Israel into Greece, Syria, Turkey and Libya, and ExxonMobil is not far behind. This is not random activity. It reflects a strategic effort to establish a stronger US energy presence in a region of growing geopolitical importance.
Libya, with American backing, is gradually being rehabilitated. In Syria, we are seeing signs of stabilisation in the oil and gas sector, including agreements between the government and Kurdish forces over control of energy fields. Turkey is simultaneously expanding its gas import capacity and accelerating development of Black Sea resources. The region is moving.
One of the most significant elements of this shift is the promotion of a “vertical corridor” through Greece, aimed at transporting Eastern Mediterranean gas northwards toward Ukraine to help replace Russian supply. This project carries substantial American political and financial support and underlines Washington’s long-term strategic interest.
For Europe, this evolving energy architecture offers diversification and security, but only if regional cooperation holds. The Eastern Mediterranean is no longer a peripheral energy story. It is becoming central to the geopolitical and commercial recalibration of gas flows between the Middle East, Europe and beyond.