Noble Energy

Noble Energy warned of the risk of a delay to the development of the Leviathan natural gas field off Israel's coast after Israel's Supreme Court blocked a crucial provision of a plan to develop the site.

Greek Cyprus has launched a third licensing round for offshore oil and gas drilling off the Mediterranean island's southern coast.

"The decision to launch this licensing round was based on the huge interest by international companies to carry out explorations offshore Cyprus despite the energy industry's not so favorable conditions," said government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides.

Greek Cyprus said on Feb. 16 it was planning a third offshore licensing round for hydrocarbons exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, moves which have triggered opposition from Turkey in the past.

Partners in Israel's Leviathan natural gas field could reach a final investment decision by the end of 2016 if government and regulatory approvals are granted as hoped, an official of the companies involved said.

That would enable the first gas from the field to reach markets by the last quarter of 2019, Bini Zomer, the Israel country manager for Noble Energy, said on Jan. 31.

The partners in the Leviathan natural gas find off Israel's Mediterranean coast signed a deal to sell about $1.3 billion worth of gas over 18 years to Edeltech Group and its Turkish partner for power plants they plan to build in Israel.

The partners in Israel's offshore Leviathan natural gas site said on Jan. 7 they were in talks to supply gas to a number of Israeli companies.

In a statement to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, units of Delek Group said the firms were private electricity producers and industrial companies but did not offer further details.

Israel's government has given the go ahead to begin exporting natural gas to Egypt, signaling a potential improvement in relations between two countries which have been at loggerheads over energy supplies.

The Israeli government on Aug. 16 approved a major deal with a consortium including US firm Noble Energy on natural offshore gas production in the Mediterranean, the prime minister's office said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday announced a major deal between his government and a consortium including US firm Noble Energy on natural gas production in the Mediterranean Sea.

Greek Cyprus announced on June 7 that offshore reserves in its Aphrodite gas field have been pronounced commercially exploitable, the first such development in four years of energy exploration.