UK-based gas producer Energean has greenlit a €71 million investment into Croatia’s Irena gas field in the North Adriatic, aiming to start production by mid-2027.
This move is not just about local extraction—it reflects a broader push by EU-aligned countries to reduce dependency on Russian gas and invest in domestic and near-shore reserves.
With expected production of up to 1,700 barrels of oil equivalent per day, the project reinforces Croatia’s role as an energy hub in the upper Adriatic and fits into regional efforts to balance short-term fossil needs with long-term green transition goals.
As Europe scrambles for stable energy amid volatile geopolitics, Croatia’s seabed is becoming a quiet but strategic frontier.
