Energean secures Israel gas project

Greek oil producer Energean has exceeded its target for gas sales contracts needed before it goes ahead with plans to tap two gas fields off Israel's coast, market sources said on Wednesday. Energean bought the Karish and Tanin fields, located in deep waters around 100 kilometers off Israel's coast, last August for $148 million from US-Israeli partners Delek Group and Noble Energy.

It plans to lease its own floating production, storage and offloading vessel and build a separate pipeline to Israel at a cost of up to $1.5 billion. Energean had targeted gas sales contracts of 3 billion cubic meters annually before making a final investment decision and has so far secured 4.6 bcm a year, market sources said.

This week, Israel Chemicals, Bazan Group Oil Refineries and OPC Energy signed agreements to buy 39 bcm of gas from the Karish and Tanin fields over 15 years, or 2...