According to a September 18 report issued by the Chamber, exploration permits would include limited risks for the authorities. Research and oil exploration in the Dragon Zone has been ongoing for approximately 40 years, with several permits issued in the 21st century. In 2021, the coalition government’s policy covenant specified that oil permits would not be issued within Iceland’s maritime zone. Earlier this year, Minister for Environment, Energy and Climate Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson claimed that oil exploration was not on the agenda. In response to the Chamber of Commerce’s report, Jóhann said that contemporary data on oil search needed to be reviewed.