Saturday, September 7, 2019

Gas sector a catalyst for further cooperation between Lebanon and Egypt - EXECUTIVE MAGAZINE

Nada Boustani, Lebanon's Energy Minister
August 7, 2019
Mona Sukkarieh

The first six months of 2019 saw an unusual series of meetings between Lebanese and Egyptian officials, with energy cooperation at the core of these discussions. If memory serves well, the frequency is unprecedented.

The option of resuming gas imports from Egypt was discussed extensively, especially during the first meetings of 2019. Lebanon previously imported natural gas from Egypt in 2010 via the Arab Gas Pipeline (AGP) to generate electricity. But supplies were interrupted after a few months with various reasons touted (such as Egypt’s inability to pursue exports because production was barely enough to meet local demand, instability in Egypt, and attacks against the pipeline). With the formation of a new government on January 31, Lebanese officials explored the possibility of quickly resuming imports as they scrambled to find solutions to the problems plaguing the electricity sector. The dire state of Lebanon’s power sector and the burden it places on the economy propelled it to the forefront of the government’s reform agenda. Government officials examined the option of importing gas by pipeline from Egypt to generate electricity—in addition to the possibility of buying electricity from Jordan in exchange for water—as among the possible solutions that they thought could be implemented quickly.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Production platform for Leviathan, Israel’s largest gas field, to arrive in days - THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 : 2:17 pm
SHOSHANNA SOLOMON

The production platform for the massive Leviathan natural gas field will be arriving in Israel within days, ahead of the start of production for the nation’s largest energy project later this year.

The production decks, comprising five units, are expected to arrive off the Israeli coast in the coming days on four barges, the partners in the field said on Wednesday.


A large offshore crane vessel — the world’s largest — will also be arriving to install the topside decks of the Leviathan platform, which will be set up 10 kilometers off the coast, at a water depth of 86 meters.
The topside decks are the surface decks of the platform, including all the equipment for drilling, production and processing, a helipad, work areas, and living quarters for those who will work on the rig. Setting up the decks will take some four weeks, the statement said.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Qarun drills 10 exploratory wells in Western Desert - ENTERPRISE

Tuesday, 3 September 2019

Qarun Petroleum, a joint venture between Apache and the Egyptian General Petroleum Company, has drilled 10 exploratory wells in the Western Desert, producing a combined 5k bbl/d, the Oil Ministry said in a statement yesterday. 

This will account for 16% of the company’s total production. 

The company is now considering investing USD 237 mn during FY2019-2020 in further development projects.

Total: 20-25% chance of success on Lebanon first exploratory well - LEBANON GAS NEWS

03.SEPT.2019

Total is the lead company in a consortium that won contracts in 2017 to explore for oil and gas in Lebanon’s maritime block’s 4 and 9. The other two companies are ENI and Novatek.

The consortium is contractually obliged to drill a minimum of two exploratory wells per block, starting with Block 4, where the first drill location has been set off the coast of Beirut.

What are the chances of drilling before the end of 2019?

Monday, September 2, 2019

Egypt Kuwait Holding’s NSCO begins production from second North Sinai well - ENTERPRISE

Monday, 2 September 2019

Egypt Kuwait Holding’s (EKH) NSCO Investments started production from its second North Sinai natural gas well on 29 August with an output of 20 mcf/d, the company said in a press release.

The new well brings the company’s total production to 75 mcf/d, a 200% increase compared to the first six months of 2019.

The company is now drilling its third well, which it expects to complete during 4Q2019. EKH started production from its first North Sinai well in July.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Cyprus runs the risk of being trapped into an expensive undertaking with gas deal - CYPRUS MAIL

September 1, 2019
Charles Ellinas

Gas alone will not reduce carbon emissions to the levels required by the EU. This would require a substantial increase in the share of renewables and biofuels in Cyprus energy mix

DEFA announced on 23 August its decision to award the tender for the construction of an LNG import terminal at Vasilikos. This will comprise a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU), a jetty for the mooring of the FSRU, pipelines, port and other facilities.

The winner is a consortium comprising China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Co Ltd (CPPE), Aktor SA and Metron SA, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Co. Ltd and Wilhelmsen Ship Management Ltd.

Announcing its decision DEFA said “we believe that the future of the country is aligned with natural gas and we expect it to play a major role in the economic development of the country in years to come.

“The establishment of the natural gas market will boost the development of the whole energy and industry sectors of the Republic.”

EGAS cancels LNG tender for three cargoes due to low bids - ENTERPRISE

Sunday, 1 September 2019

EGAS has canceled an LNG tender for three cargoes from the Idku gas liquefaction plant near Alexandria, market sources told Reuters. 

The tender, which closed on 28 August, was canceled due to low bids, the sources said.