INTERVIEW: Israel’s domestic gas needs hold sway ahead of latest exploration round - S&P Global

January 23, 2026
Matt Hoisch

Even as producers push to expand gas exports from Israel following a decade of dramatic growth that has seen it morph into a key regional supplier, domestic needs remain a priority for the country ahead of its fifth offshore gas exploration round, Israel's Petroleum Commissioner at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, in a recent interview.

"Israel is a developed country, but we're still emerging," Chen Bar-Yosef said. "We think we should have more gas findings and exploration in order to make sure that for the long run we are ready, and we have our sufficiency of supply for all our needs."

Those needs are growing. One burgeoning driver is the artificial intelligence industry.

"Israel is and wants to be part of the AI world," Bar-Yosef said. "We think AI and AI data centers will come to Israel and therefore we want to be ready."

The commissioner was adamant electricity "should come first from renewables" with gas as "complementary."

Even so, annual domestic gas needs are projected to grow over the coming decade from some 14 Bcm to 20-24 Bcm by 2035, he said.

Chevron, partners okay expansion of gas production from Israel’s Tamar field - THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

8 December 2022, 7:51 pm
Sharon Wrobel

Energy firms to invest $673 million in boosting gas production to meet growing demand in Israel and neighboring countries

US energy giant Chevron and its partners in the Tamar natural gas reservoir off Israel’s Mediterranean coast announced Thursday that they have okayed a final investment decision (FID) needed to proceed with the first phase of expanding natural gas production to meet growing domestic demand and boost exports to Egypt.

As part of the FID, the partners in the Tamas natural gas rig, located some 90 kilometers (55 miles) west of Haifa, are expected to invest some $673 million in a project expanding gas production from the offshore field.

Chevron provided details of a two-stage plan aimed at expanding production to about 1.6 billion cubic feet (BCF) of natural gas from the Tamar field to meet Israel’s energy needs and export gas to Egypt and neighboring countries.

Partners in Cyprus' Aphrodite gas field approve $192 mln investment - REUTERS

JERUSALEM, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The partners in the Aphrodite gas field in Cypriot waters have approved a $192 million investment to begin drilling and to cover other development costs for the offshore project, Israeli firm NewMed Energy (NWMDp.TA) said on Sunday.

Most of the investment is for drilling a well that will first confirm the size of the gas deposit, estimated to be 124 billion cubic metres, and then be used for production, NewMed said.

Drilling is expected to begin in the first half of 2023.

NewMed has a 30% stake in Aphrodite, located about 170 km south of Limassol. Chevron (CVX.N) and Shell each have a 35% share.

The partners are examining development options, NewMed said, including connecting the field to existing facilities in the area or linking it to development plans for nearby assets in Egypt.

Leviathan off the starting blocks - IN CYPRUS / CYPRUS WEEKLY

March 5, 2017
Charles Ellinas

Phase 1A of the Leviathan gasfield is finally off the starting blocks. Noble Energy and its partners reached FID on 23 February for Phase 1A, which involves the production of 12bcm/yr starting end of 2019. This can only be seen as positive news for the Leviathan partners and the Israeli gas market.

Leviathan was discovered in 2010 and it is estimated to hold 622bcm of recoverable gross natural gas resources. It is owned by Noble Energy with 39.66%, Delek Drilling with 22.67%, Avner with 22.67% and Ratio with 15%.

In the following, I analyse the FID decision, describe the deal and its potential impact on Energean and discuss the implications on East Med gas.

Leviathan partners ratify $3.75-billion gas-development plan - WORLD OIL

FEB/23/2017Yaacov Benmeleh

TEL AVIV (Bloomberg) -- The companies that own the rights to Leviathan, Israel’s largest natural gas reservoir, approved a plan to allocate $3.75 billion to develop the offshore site. Israel’s main gas equity index rose the most in almost five months.

The partners, led by Delek Group Ltd. and Houston-based Noble Energy, have agreed on a final investment decision, which lays out how the companies intend to spend the funds to develop Leviathan over the next three years, according to a Tel Aviv Stock Exchange filing Thursday.

The decision allows the partners to “launch the largest energy project in the history of Israel, that will also serve as one of the region’s energy anchors,” Yossi Abu, chief executive officer of Delek Drilling, said in an e-mailed statement. Delek Drilling holds a 22.7% stake in Leviathan and is a unit of Delek Group. “We will continue our activity to develop and expand our oil and gas assets in Israel and Cyprus,” Abu said.

Partners in Israeli Leviathan gas field okay $3.75 billion investment - REUTERS

Thu Feb 23, 2017 | 2:44am ESTReporting by Tova Cohen

The partners in the Leviathan natural gas field said on Thursday they approved a $3.75 billion final investment decision (FID) in the first phase of the giant reservoir, the largest energy project in Israel's history.

The reservoir, located 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Haifa, was discovered in December 2010 and is one of the largest offshore natural gas discoveries in the world in the previous decade.

The project's $3.75 billion budget is in addition to $1 billion that has already been invested to date in various exploration, appraisal and planning activities.

According to the development plan that was approved last year by the government, the project will be completed within less than three years and the gas from Leviathan will be available to the Israeli market by the end of 2019.