Latest gas drilling ‘very optimistic’ - CYPRUS MAIL

Monday 07 July | 19:40

By Elias Hazou

Drilling at the Pegasus-1 well has detected a 350-metre column of natural gas, the government announced on Monday, giving no more clues about the significance of the find – but separately sources told the Cyprus Mail that the “news from Pegasus is good”.

In a written statement after an afternoon conference call between President Nikos Christodoulides and Vice President of Global Exploration at ExxonMobil John Ardill, the government said another discovery of natural gas has been made at the Pegasus-1 site in Block 10 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“The Pegasus-1 well… indicated approximately 350 metres of gas-bearing reservoir,” government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said.

Drilling had been carried out by the Valaris DS-9 rig at a distance of 190km southwest of the island, and at a depth of 1,921m.

“Further assessment will be required in the coming months to evaluate the results.”

UPDATE 1-Egypt discovers large gas field in Mediterranean, minister says - REUTERS

CAIRO, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Egypt has discovered a large gas field in the Nargis block in the eastern Mediterranean, Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla said on Thursday.

Evaluation is still ongoing to determine the field’s reserves, he said in a briefing to a parliamentary committee.

Nargis is one of four offshore exploration blocks in which Chevron holds operating interests in Egypt along with Tharwa Petroleum Co, according to Chevron’s website.

The Middle East Economic Survey reported this month that the size of the new well was 3.5 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Egyptian officials have declined to confirm details of the find.

The find could provide a boost to Egypt’s efforts to position itself as an energy hub in the eastern Mediterranean following the 2015 announcement of the discovery by Eni of the giant Zohr gas field.

Eni-Total discovers large gas deposits in block six, reports say (updated) - CYPRUS MAIL

August 5, 2022 

Nick Theodoulou

A large natural gas deposit has been discovered by ENI/Total in block six of Cyprus’ EEZ, daily Alithia and state broadcaster Cybc reported on Friday, but the energy ministry later stated drilling at the block is still in progress.

The initial report added that an official announcement is expected once more work has been carried out, while there are positive indications that there may be more deposits nearby.

Soon after the reports emerged, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides warned that: “Block six is one of the seven locations which Turkey has decided to carry out illegal drillings.”

Kasoulides told radio Trito he hopes the positive developments on new deposits will not be impacted by the Abdulhamid Han, Turkey’s newest drillship.

The minister further stated that there are procedures when new deposits are located namely that the energy ministry is informed first and the company issues its announcement soon after.

ExxonMobil Strikes Gas Off Cyprus - JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

May 1, 2022

The Cyprus energy ministry confirmed a reservoir of high-quality gas was encountered by the ExxonMobil-led Glaucus-2 appraisal well. The drilling of the well was conducted in the area known as Block 10 in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that has been challenged by Turkey. The ministry said that operations in the EEZ included production testing.

“The consortium will proceed with a detailed analysis and evaluation of the data collected to more accurately determine the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the reservoir, as well as potential development and commercialization of the discoveries,” the ministry said in a statement.

Cyprus previously estimated gas resources in the reservoir of between 5 and 8 Tcf when the discovery from the Glaucus-1 well was announced in 2019. ExxonMobil and Block 10 partner Qatar Petroleum began drilling the Glaucus-2 well using drillship Stena Forth in December 2021.

ExxonMobil is the operator and holds a 60% interest in Block 10. Qatar Petroleum International Upstream OPC holds the remaining 40% stake.

New Cyprus gas find seen as game changer - KATHIMERINI

01.MARCH.2019 : 20:53
VASSILIS NEDOS

The announcement on Thursday that US energy giant ExxonMobil has made a “world-class” discovery in Block 10 of Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), containing 5-8 trillion cubic feet of gas, was widely seen as signifying that the energy game in the Eastern Mediterranean has only just begun and the main players’ next moves will determine their future geopolitical position in the wider region.

According to Cyprus Energy Minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis, the discovery is the biggest find so far in Cyprus and based on some official data it is one of the biggest finds worldwide in the past two years.”

He added that the find offers confirmation that there is the potential for further hydrocarbon discoveries off the island’s coast. The announcement was made two months after ExxonMobil began operations with its partner Qatar Petroleum in the Glaucos-1 and Delphyne-1 wells in Block 10.

The latest announcement has sparked speculation in Greece and Cyprus over the stance of Turkey, which has raised objections to Nicosia’s search for gas in the island’s EEZ.

Cyprus: likely gas field find raises prospect of tension with Turkey - THE GUARDIAN

A drillship off the coast of Limassol, Cyprus

Helena Smith

Nicosia, Mon 25 Feb 2019 12.07 GMT

Expected announcement by ExxonMobil of discovery off island’s south coast seen as potential game changer

Tensions between Cyprus and Turkey over energy could soon come to a head, with ExxonMobil apparently poised to announce a significant natural gas find off the divided island’s southern coast.

After more than three months of deep-water exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, the US firm is expected to unveil findings this week in what is being described as a seminal moment in the race to tap potentially profitable underwater resources.

TEKMOR VIEW: A modern David - Goliath story is unfolding. 

International hydrocarbons interest in Cyprus confirmed - CYPRUS MAIL

FEBRUARY 24, 2019

The biggest and most important hydrocarbons conference and exhibition in Egypt and the East Med region, EGYPS 2019, took place in Cairo earlier this month, and Cyprus took part with a country pavilion showing the Cyprus Hydrocarbons Company (CHC) and natural gas public company (DEFA) among others.

In a wide-ranging interview about the conference, Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla spoke about the country’s oil and gas achievements in 2018 and plans for 2019. The great success of 2018 was accelerating natural gas production, with Zohr at the forefront, as a result of which, by the end of the year, domestic gas consumption was exceeded for the first time since 2014. This helped Egypt become self-sufficient, stop LNG imports in October and re-start exports. By January Shell’s Idku LNG plant was exporting 0.52 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d).

The development of Zohr is reaching its final stage, and is expected to achieve 3.2 bcf/d plateau production by the end of 2019. This will allow the Damietta LNG plant to restart exports later in the year, once outstanding arbitration issues are resolved.

ENERGY: ExxonMobil could announce Cyprus exploration results next week - FINANCIAL MIRROR

21 February, 2019

Eagerly awaited results from two test drills offshore Cyprus for hydrocarbons by US energy giant ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum are expected to be announced next week, according to reports.

It is believed that Energy Minister George Lakkotrypis could announce the end of the exploration drills next Monday with both the government and ExxonMobil declaring the results soon after, although President Nicos Anastasiades will be consulted first.

Earlier this month, local media speculated that ExxonMobil could announce a “sizeable find” in block 10 following exploration drills at wells Delphine-1 and Glafcos-1 in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.

A high-level Cypriot source, who reportedly spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the reserve isn't as large as the Zohr gas field in the Egyptian sector of the Mediterranean but “has a similar reserve.”

The reserve – found at Glafcos-1 - was said to hold at least 2.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas – the minimum amount required to make it commercially viable.

Energy minister quashes rumours of gas find in block 10 - CYPRUS MAIL

February 14, 2019 

Elias Hazou

Exploratory drilling for gas by ExxonMobil in offshore block 10 is ongoing, and announcements will be made once the operations have been concluded, the government said on Thursday.

The energy ministry was addressing a number of media reports over the past few days claiming the US oil giant has struck it big at the Glafcos-1 drill site.

In a brief statement, the ministry reiterated that drilling is still going on and that therefore the results are not known.

An official announcement would be made once the operations were over, it added.

Local media outlets were reporting that ExxonMobil had found a sizeable, though not massive, reserve at their second drilling target in block 10.

The reserve was said to hold at least 2.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas – the minimum amount required to make it commercially viable.

The reports claimed to be citing “industry sources.”

ExxonMobil to reportedly announce large discovery in Cyprus' plot 10 next week - KATHIMERINI

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2019, 20:23

American energy giant ExxonMobil is expected to announce a discovery of a large gas reserve in plot 10 of Cyprus' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) next week, according to Cyprus' Sigma Live news network.

The Cypriot station referred to a report by Italy's Agenzia Nova that cited a high-level Cypriot source at the the Egypt Petroleum Show (EGYPS) in Cairo which ended on Wednesday.

The source, which reportedly spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the reserve isn't as large as the Zohr gas field in the Egyptian sector of the Mediterranean Sea but “has a similar reserve.”

Exxon reportedly discovers oil in Cyprus Block 10 - KATHIMERINI / KNEWS

07 FEBRUARY 2019 - 10:15

Apostolis Tomaras

A sufficiently large and commercially viable oil reservoir has been reportedly discovered in Cyprus's Block 10 Glaucus target, according to Kathimerini sources.

Official results from Exxonmobil are not expected until the end of next week. The information comes from sources with knowledge of the matter.

The news of the discovery comes following uncertain indications regarding natural gas deposits in an earlier exploratory drilling at Delphini target, also in Block 10.

A sufficiently large and commercially viable oil reservoir has been discovered in Cyprus's Block 10

According to 'technocratic sources', Kathimerini has learned that the geological formations of the Glaucus target are limestone sedimentary rocks. To confirm that oil has been found, it would mean, according to the same sources, that the Exxonmobil drill has reached about 6 km deep.

Cabinet approves bill for Egypt pipeline deal - CYPRUS MAIL

January 31, 2019
Elias Hazou

The cabinet on Thursday approved a bill governing an inter-state agreement with Egypt for the construction of a subsea natural gas pipeline crossing through the exclusive economic zones of the two nations.

The legislation follows through from, and sanctions, the inter-state pipeline agreement signed between Cyprus and Egypt in September 2018.

Energy minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis was authorised to submit the bill to parliament.

The development came amid media reports on Thursday evening claiming that ExxonMobil has located gas at its second drill site, dubbed ‘Glafcos’, in Block 10.

The report carried by Sigma could not be confirmed. The outlet said announcements of a find could be made in about 10 days’ time.


ExxonMobil declined to comment.

Cyprus: "Calypso" (block 6) could very well be hiding a little Zohr - PHILELEFTHEROS / TEKMOR

3 FEB 2018, 10:46 πμ

Petros Theocharides (translated by TEKMOR associates)

During the initial stages when the drill came in contact with the well there was relative disappointment since gas was found but in sedimentary rocks, which, due to the very low permeability, did not allow hopes for a measurable deposit and did not confirm a Zohr-like target with carbonates in primitives reefs.

However, when the drill reached a few tens of meters below, it showed exactly what the ENI experts were looking for, the Zohr-type deposit, and even beyond the optimistic deviations in the experts' formulas. The drilling took place where the depth of the sea was 1,902 meters and reached a depth of about 1,800 meters below the seabed.

One of its important features is that it extends from block 6 where the main body of the deposit is located and fairly well within block 10 where the ExxonMobil - Qatar Petroleum consortium has rights, as is the case with 11, licensed to the ENI-TOTAL partnership similarly to block6, but it also extends in block 7 which was not awarded during Cyprus' 3rd licensing round. 

The "PHILELEPTHEROS" newspaper's information suggests that the area of ​​the field reaches up to 35% of  Egypt's Zohr, so, although very conservative and moderate for the time being, experts talk about the possibility of a "small Zohr ".

The full article in Greek follows.