Egypt denies rift with Saudi, drift toward Iran - REUTERS

Sat Dec 10, 2016 | 4:32am EST
Reporting By William Maclean; Writing by Noah Browning; Editing by Louise Heavens

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri on Saturday hailed a "special relationship" with Saudi Arabia, denying reports that the two powerful Arab nations had fallen out after Egypt expressed support for the Russian intervention in Syria.

Egypt voted in favor of a Russian-backed U.N. resolution on Syria in October that excluded calls to stop bombing Aleppo, which Saudi Arabia strongly opposed.

The kingdom informed Egypt last month that shipments of oil products expected under a $23 billion aid deal had been halted indefinitely, but Shukri denied the nations were at loggerheads and said any disagreements had been exaggerated.

Israel, Cyprus, Greece boost energy ties - NEW EUROPE

Tsipras (L), Anastasiades (C), Netanyahu

DECEMBER 9, 2016 02:01

New Europe Online/KG

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades held a trilateral summit in Jerusalem on December 8, agreeing to boost energy cooperation.

Tsipras, who was accompanied by Environment and Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis, said Greece aims to be an energy transit centre for Israeli and Cypriot natural gas to Europe.

The Greek premier said teams from the countries will discuss the East Med pipeline to transport gas from the Israeli and Cyprus offshore gas fields through Greece to other parts of Europe. The project is expected to boost European Union’s energy security, providing a new supply route and source of gas.

The last word has not been said in Cyprus - HURRIYET DAILY NEWS

December/09/2016
Fikret Bila

The Cyprus issue is not independent of the Syrian issue. But while the imperialist intervention that has dragged Syria and Iraq into civil war and divided both still continues, the Cyprus talks have accelerated.

After Syria was partitioned and its north was left to the PKK-PYD, and after a corridor was opened to the Mediterranean, the strategic significance of Cyprus’ Karpasia Peninsula multiplied from Ankara’s perspective.

At a time when the EU doors have been firmly closed to Turkey and when Syria is about to be partitioned, the situation of the (self-delcared, recognized only by Turkey) "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)" is of strategic importance. In such a process, it would not be wise to say “yes” to a model in which the Turkish Cypriots give away the Karpasia Peninsula. If it did so, Turkey would never be able to protect its rights or its future in the East Mediterranean.

Turkey to start using local currency in energy trade, Energy Minister Albayrak says - DAILY SABAH

December 8, 2016

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak released important messages in a speech during budget talks at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) on Thursday. He said that Turkey has entered a "new era" in its energy policy, in which it will use Turkish lira in future trade with countries where it has a large volume of energy transactions.

According to the information obtained after Albayrak spoke about using the lira in financing giant-energy projects, it was said that the first move in that direction was taken with Russia. Turkey has taken the initiative to use local currency in the trade of natural gas with Russia. Meanwhile, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported that the Russian energy company Gazprom and the Swiss Alleseas Company signed an agreement to build the first pipeline of the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline project. According to the agreement, the company will lay a total of 900 kilometers (560 miles) of pipeline in the Black Sea, with the construction set to begin in the second half of 2017.

Shell oil & gas appoints Gasser Hanter to head Egypt business - ZAWYA / THOMSON REUTERS

Gasser Hanter

08 December, 2016

Reporting by Ehab Farouk; Writing by Lin Noueihed; Editing by Giles Elgood an David Goodman

CAIRO, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell has appointed Gasser Hanter to head its Egypt business, the company said on Thursday.

Hanter, who is Egyptian, was named as upstream vice-president and managing director in Egypt. He replaces Aidan Murphy, who has taken on a new role at Shell headquarters.

Construction contract signed for first string of TurkStream’s offshore section - EIN NEWS

December 8, 2016, 13:35

South Stream Transport B.V. and Allseas Group S.A. today signed in Amsterdam a contract to build the first string of the TurkStream gas pipeline’s offshore section with an option for laying the second string.

According to the contract, Allseas will lay more than 900 kilometers of pipes across the seabed. To that end, the company plans to use the newly-launched Pioneering Spirit, the world’s largest construction vessel equipped with six welding stations and six coating stations.

Allseas will start building the first string of the pipeline in the second half of 2017.

Greece-Bulgaria pipeline receives bids - WORLD PIPELINES

Thursday, 08 December 2016 09:17
Anna Nicklin, Editorial Assistant

According to a news statement from ICGB – the joint venture building the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) natural gas pipeline – five offers were submitted for the use of the pipeline on a long term basis for the binding phase of the market test.

IGB is estimated to cost approximately €220 million (US$235 million). The pipeline will transport gas with a total capacity of 4.3 billion m3 of natural gas. According to the statement, the second phase of the market test saw capacity amount to 2.7 billion m3, of which 1.57 billion m3 are reserved. It is expected that the IGB pipeline will connect to the Trans Adriatic pipeline (TAP) to, in turn, allow Bulgaria to receive Azerbaijani gas.

Libya: NOC evacuates staff after clashes near oil ports, says work continues at Es-Sider - ECOFIN AGENCY

Thursday, 08 December 2016 - 09:32Anita Fatunji

Following reports of military fights close to major oil ports, Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) has announced that it has withdrawn non-essential workers from the Es Sider (aka Al-Sidra) port.

According to NOC, there are no plans to suspend any loadings at the port.

The company added that it had held talks meetings with affiliates and had commenced emergency procedures close to the area where the fight is taking place, Reuters reports.

“We have not declared force majeure on oil loadings pending further information, but we are monitoring the situation closely,” the company said in a statement.

This comes as sources from the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) forces said that they, alongside the forces of the Government of National Accord Defense Ministry have taken control of the key of Es Sider oil terminal and are moving towards Ras Lanuf.

EGPC signs USD 200 mn agreement with Afreximbank - ENTERPRISE

Thursday, 8 December 2016

The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) signed a USD 200 mn facility yesterday with the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) on Tuesday to ensure uninterrupted supply of energy for Egypt’s industrial sector through the financing of import of oil and gas products, said Afreximbank’s President, Benedict Oramah in a statement. Contrary to reports we noted yesterday, the National Bank of Egypt will not be joining the financing, but will act as local operations bank for the transaction and as financial adviser to EGPC, along with Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Capital.

Acquisition of Karish and Tanin Natural Gas Fields Offshore Israel by Energean Receives Approval from Israeli Petroleum Council - ENERGEAN OIL & GAS

7.12.2016

Energean to submit Field Development Plan in mid-2017
The Petroleum Council of Israel has announced its approval of the acquisition of 100% of the Karish and Tanin Natural Gas Fields by Energean Oil & Gas (“Energean” or “the Company”) from Delek Drilling and Avner.

The transaction, estimated to be valued at $148m, is being implemented as part of the Israeli Government’s Gas Framework Strategy. The Karish and Tanin Fields, discovered in 2013 and 2011 respectively, have 2C gas resources of circa 2.4TCF.

Energean will now proceed towards completion of the transaction, and within six months will submit to the Israeli authorities a Field Development Plan (FDP) for both fields. The Company intends to produce first gas in 2020. The development of Karish and Tanin is expected to involve an investment of circa $1bn over the next few years. 

Eni to finalize phase of Zohr gas field processing plant by next October - ENTERPRISE

Wednesday, 7 December 2016

Eni plans to complete phase one of its USD 4 bn gas processing plant in Port Said next October, Al Borsa reported. The first phase of the plant, which will process gas from Zohr, will produce a daily 650 mcf, which represents 24% of the facility’s total daily capacity upon becoming fully operational of 2.7 bcf. The project should operate at full capacity by 2020 and Eni expects to pump a daily 900 mcf into Egypt’s natural gas network by the end of 2017 or 1Q2018, sources at Eni told the newspaper.

Russia Closing In On 'Alt-Ukraine' Pipeline In Turkey - FORBES

Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller (L) speaks with Turkish Energy Minister
 Berat Albayrak (R) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)

DEC 6, 2016 @ 11:25 AM
Kenneth Rapoza

Call it the anti-Ukraine pipeline, but after some fits and starts the alternative Russian gas route into the E.U. via Turkey is about to be made official on Tuesday in Moscow.

Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim arrived in the city today for a two-day visit at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Dimitry Medvedev. According Turkey's Daily Sabah newspaper, Yildirim is also scheduled to discuss the Turkish Stream pipeline deal with Vladimir Putin. The Gazprom-Botas Petroleum pipeline was proposed last year by both governments but fell apart after the Turkish military shot down a Russian fighter plane over Syria. Relations were put on ice and have since thawed. The pipeline deal is the manifestation of cooler heads prevailing between the two old allies.

Turkey's top private gas importer placed under new administration - ICIS

06 December 2016 09:50By Aura Sabadus

Board members at Turkey’s largest natural gas importer Akfel, a company partly owned by Gazprom, were removed on Friday, placing the firm under the control of a new administration, sources close to the matter told ICIS.

The development raises concerns regarding the future of Turkey’s private gas sector, as the company had been at the forefront of private enterprise in the sector.

There are no official details as yet regarding the change.

Israel approves sale of offshore gas rights to Greek firm - TIMES OF ISRAEL

December 6, 2016, 10:37 pm
BY AFP, Times of Israel staff contributed to this report

Noble Energy and Delek’s $150 million deal with Energean aims to resolve anti-trust issues
Israel gave the green light on Tuesday for the sale of two gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean to the Greek firm Energean, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz announced.

The two fields, named Karish and Tanin and estimated to hold 60 billion cubic meters (2.1 billion cubic feet) of gas, had initially been allocated to a consortium grouping US firm Noble Energy and the Israeli group Delek, which already control two much larger fields.

“We have decided to put an end to this monopoly situation,” Steinitz told public radio, explaining the consortium’s sale of exploitation rights in the two fields to Energean for $150 million (NIS 570 million).

Israel’s Energy Director-General: ‘We’re Back In Business’ - HART ENERGY

Tuesday, December 6, 2016 - 4:23pm

Velda Addison 

HOUSTON—Home to massive gas discoveries such as the gigantic Leviathan Field and the nearby Tamar Field, which together hold more than 906 billion cubic meters (Bcm), or 32 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), of natural gas, Israel’s budding hydrocarbon scene could be poised to become the center of a natural gas hub.

That is, if oil and gas investors see the potential and are willing to put money into exploring, developing and producing hydrocarbons in the Mediterranean Sea.

This is exactly what Israeli energy officials hope will be the case as they showcase 24 Levant Basin blocks offered for exploration during the country’s first offshore bid round, which closes in March 2017.

With water depths ranging from 800 m to 1,800 m (2,625 ft to 5,906 ft), each block is up to 400 sq km (154 sq miles). Citing results from a study conducted by France-based Beicip-Franlab, officials say the “yet-to-find potential” in the Mesozoic and Tertiary reservoirs alone is 6.6 billion barrels of oil and 2,137 Bcm (75 Tcf) of gas.

Ionian Sea Block 10 goes to Hellenic Petroleum - KATHIMERINI

06.12.2016 : 22:00

ATHEX blue chip company Hellenic Petroleum is the bidder selected for the concession of Block 10 in the Gulf of Kyparissia, west of the Peloponnese, for surveying for and utilization of hydrocarbons in the area, according to a statement by the Environment and Energy Ministry on Tuesday.

In the next few days the tender’s valuation committee will invite the company to agree on the definitive text of the draft concession contract, the ministry added.

The consortium of Total-Edison-Hellenic Petroleum was recently chosen as the preferred bidder for Block 2 in the Ionian Sea, west of Corfu. The ministry announced that the contract for this will be signed soon.

Azerbaijan: US should be at SGC consultative council meeting - TREND NEWS

6 December 2016 16:25 (UTC+04:00)
Baku, Azerbaijan
Maksim Tsurkov

Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Natig Aliyev noted the importance of the United States’ representation at a high level at the 3rd consultative council of ministers on the Southern Gas Corridor project in order to give political support to the project, the Azerbaijani Energy Ministry said in a message Dec. 6.

Aliyev made the remarks during his meeting with William Silkworth, office director at Bureau of Energy Resources of the US State Department, according to the message.

During the meeting, the US side expressed interest in Azerbaijan’s position on the eve of the OPEC meeting in Vienna.

Egypt requires 6.5 bcf/d of natural gas next summer -EGAS - ENTERPRISE

Tuesday, 6 December 2016

Egypt will require 6.5 bcf/d of natural gas to meet domestic demand in the summer of 2017, EGAS told Al Borsa. Demand will be divided between 4.4 bcf/d to power stations, 1.2 bcf/d to homes, cars, and industry, and 900 mcf/d to energy intensive industries. Domestic production of natural gas is expected to reach 5 bcf/d by the end of 2017.

TEKMOR Note: 6.5 bcf/d means 195 bcf/30-day month, or 5.52 bcm or 0,2 tcf

Rosneft mulls buying up to 35% of Shorouk concession - ENTERPRISE

Tuesday, 6 December 2016

The board of Russia’s Rosneft will meet tomorrow (7 December) to discuss the potential acquisition of up to 35% of the Shorouk offshore concession from Eni, AMAY reported. Eni had sold a 10% interest of the concession, which contains Zohr natural gas field, to BP in November and plans to lower its stake in the field to 50%.

Šefčovič, Greek Minister focus on TAP, Vertical Corridor, energy exports from the East Med to EU - NEW EUROPE

DECEMBER 6, 2016, 07:42
By New Europe Online/KG

The European Commission and Greece discussed in Brussels on December 5 the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the Vertical Gas Corridor, exports from the East Mediterranean to the EU and privatisation of Greek gas transmission system operator DESFA.

Greece’s Energy Minister Giorgos Stathakis met with European Commission Vice President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič on the sidelines of the council meeting of energy ministers in Brussels.

According to the Greek Energy Ministry, the meeting was conducted in “constructive climate” and the two parties discussed TAP’s construction course, and the developments regarding two pipelines: the first concerns the Vertical Corridor and the second the connection of hydrocarbon fields in Southeast Mediterranean to the European market.

Honeywell to provide control and safety system for natural gas pipeline in Turkey - HYDROCARBONS TECHNOLOGY

Dec 5 2016

US based company Honeywell Process Solutions has announced that it will provide control and safety system for the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) located in Turkey.

The integrated system will make all operations at the compressor stations safe throughout the length of the pipeline.

The TANAP system is equipped to transport up to 31 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year from the Caspian and nearby regions.

Honeywell Turkey and Central Asia region president Orhan Genis said: “Honeywell has a long history of working with critical energy projects in Turkey. This important project will help to secure a supply of natural gas not only to this country but across Europe.”

Khalda Petroleum reduces cost of oil produced from Apache concession to $4.5/barrel - DAILY NEWS EGYPT

05.12.2016
Mohamed Adel

We saved $155,000 daily on drilling expenses during FY 2015/2016, says Abdel Azim
Khalda Petroleum Company has reduced the cost of oil produced from the Apache concession area in the western desert to $4.5 per barrel in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, down from $5.

Mohamed Abdel Azim, head of the Khalda Petroleum Company, told Daily News Egypt that the company successfully reduced costs by $0.5 per barrel through obtaining discounts on services and equipment contracts used to carry out drilling operations.

He explained that the company saved $155,000 per day on crude oil production costs in the last fiscal year, as the cost per barrel was lowered from $6 in the fiscal year (FY) of 2014/2015 to $5.

Development of Leviathan - IN CYPRUS / CYPRUS WEEKLY

December 4, 2016
By Charles Ellinas

Delek announced at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that it had signed a commitment letter securing up to $1.75 billion in financing from JPMorgan and HSBC for Phase 1A of the Leviathan development.

Ratio Oil sold new debt and equity earlier this year, raising about a third of its $600-million share of the project. Noble Energy has only raised part of its portion of the financing, expected to be about $1.6bn, and is looking to sell 10% of its Leviathan holding to support this.

The total estimated Phase 1A development cost is $4bn.

This, coupled with changes in Turkey’s energy strategy to diversify away from gas, may have profound effects on the future of East Med gas.

Yerushalayim to Host Trilateral Summit - HAMODIA

Sunday, December 4, 2016 at 2:16 pm | ד' כסלו תשע"זBy Hamodia Staff

YERUSHALAYIM - Israel, Greece and Cyprus will hold a trilateral summit in Yerushalayim, a follow-up to a meeting that took place in January, which they hailed as a new “strategic alliance” in the Mediterranean.

The one-day summit, set for Thursday, will be attended by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, as well as senior ministers and aides.

The issues to be discussed will reportedly include energy resources and emergency rescue cooperation.

The three countries have been engaged in talks about the feasibility of laying a gas pipeline from Israel to Cyprus, and then to Greece for export further on in Europe, and that will presumably be on the agenda at this week’s summit. Israel also has options to export gas to Turkey or Egypt, a source of concern to Greece and Cyprus, who fear being cut out of a future deal.

Details of EGPC Bid Round 2016 announced by the Ministry of Petroleum - ENERGY EGYPT

December 4, 2016

Results of the 2016 EGPC International Bid Round, in which 11 blocks were offered for oil and gas exploration in the Western Desert and the Gulf of Suez, were announced by the Ministry of Petroleum in a press release on Friday.

The bids are worth a total minimum investment of $200 million, $68.2 million signature bonuses and the drilling of 33 exploration wells.

Of the 11 blocks offered, six blocks were awarded; five in the Western Desert and one in the Gulf of Suez.