Winners and losers as energy minister halts gas exploration - THE JERUSALEM POST / GLOBES

DECEMBER 17, 2021
Guy Lieberman

The announcement by Energy Minister Karin Elharrar yesterday that her ministry will not award licenses for natural gas exploration in Israel's Economic Zone in 2022 set off a storm. 

Her predecessor at the ministry, Yuval Steinitz, rushed to react on Twitter, calling on her to "reconsider" the decision, and claiming that "in the green USA of President Biden they are continuing to explore for natural gas in hundreds of areas on land and offshore, as they are in Canada and in most countries of Western Europe."

The Association of Oil and Gas Exploration Industries in Israel was also quick to react, and pointed to the energy crisis in Europe as an example of the need "to continue exploring for further discoveries of natural gas."

Elharrar responded that it was a matter of "one year only", during which her ministry will devote its attention to the most important need at this time, which is renewable energy. In her announcement, the minister stated that her ministry was forming a new department to deal with renewable energy.

Petrobras to Bid in Israeli Gas Tender - OFFSHORE ENGINEER

April 1, 2019

Israel's energy minister said on Sunday that Brazilian state-run oil firm Petrobras will take part in a tender to explore for oil and gas off Israel's shore, Reuters reports.

"It was agreed that Petrobras ... will take part in a process of oil and gas exploration in Israel," Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz told Army Radio as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro began a visit to Israel.

A previous auction elicited bids from only two groups of companies, but prospects in the waters offshore Israel have become potentially more lucrative following a number of large gas discoveries offshore Israel and in nearby eastern Mediterranean in the last decade.

Israel will tender 19 new offshore blocks, and the energy ministry said it expects more oil and gas companies to compete this time as conditions have improved.

ExxonMobil is reportedly considering bidding in the auction.

Israel announces new oil and gas exploration round in eastern Mediterranean - REUTERS

NOVEMBER 4, 2018 / 4:32 PMReporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Mark Heinrich

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will tender off 19 new offshore blocks to oil and gas companies, its energy ministry said on Sunday, hoping to rebound from a disappointing bidding round a year ago.

Israel discovered in 2009 that it had large reserves of natural gas off its Mediterranean coast.

It will publish details of the tender by the end of the month and, about half a year later, choose the winning companies, said Udi Adiri, the ministry’s director general.

Last year’s auction elicited bids from only two groups of companies, and the ministry said it expects more to compete this time as conditions have improved.

In 2017 the energy market was weaker and companies in general were investing less. There was also concern over where to sell any newfound gas, since Israel is a small market.

Energean awarded five exploration licences, offshore Israel - ENERGEAN OIL & GAS

13 December 2017

Energean Oil & Gas (“Energean” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that Energean Israel has been awarded five offshore exploration licences (“Licences”) within the Israeli Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by the Israeli Petroleum Commissioner following a recommendation by the Petroleum Council. The initial exploration period under each Licence is three years. 

Indian, Greek E&P groups bid for licenses offshore Israel -OFFSHORE MAGAZINE

11/29/2017

HAIFA, Israel – Israel’s government has closed the country’s 1st offshore licensing round.

The Ministry of Energy received bids from Athens-based Energean, which is currently developing the offshore Karish and Tanin gas fields; and from a consortium of Indian companies comprising ONGC Videsh, Bharat PetroResources, Indian Oil Corp., and Oil India.

Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Minister of Energy, said: “This bid round is the first step in a long-term process that would lead to full exploitation of gas and oil resources in the Israeli EEZ for the benefit of the Israeli citizens.

“We are planning to launch a 2nd licensing round in 2018, where lessons learned from the 1st bid round will be incorporated, and thus continue the effort to develop these strategic assets in the Israel’s exclusive economic zone.”

Indian Oil Minister tells "Reuters": We'll bid for Israel's blocks - GLOBES

4 Sep, 2017 17:36
Globes correspondent

“We will definitely bid for Israel’s oil-and-gas blocks,” Indian Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told "Reuters."

“We will definitely bid for Israel’s oil-and-gas blocks,” Indian Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has told "Reuters."

India and Israel have developed close economic and political ties over the past few years, which have included the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in July, and the signing of major defense deals such as the $2 billion agreement signed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to supply India with advanced missile systems.

Now Pradhan has told "Reuters" that the Indian state owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) will bid in the latest auction of 48 offshore blocks, which closes in November. "Reuters" also revealed that a high-ranking delegation from India visited Israel last month "to discuss taking part in the tender for blocks in the Mediterranean Sea and Israeli officials said they were pleased with the visit."

Companies exploring offshore gas field deals in Israel - THE ECONOMIC TIMES

Aug 29, 2017, 12.16 AM IST
Sanjeev Choudhary, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: Indian energy firms are exploring investment opportunity in Israel’s offshore gas fields as well as possibilities of importing some of their advanced technologies as part of a larger effort between the two countries to strengthen energy ties following the recent visit by Prime Minister to the Middle East nation.  

A delegation of executives of ONGC Videsh Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, led by an oil ministry official, visited Israel last week, to explore investment and technological opportunities.  

Israel needs a plan B for gas - IN CYPRUS / CYPRUS WEEKLY

July 23, 2017
Gina Cohen

Israel’s Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy, and Water Resources postponed the oil and gas licence exploration tender for a second time in June, giving a new deadline of November 15. The Ministry of Energy is not at fault. It gets an ‘A’ for having the courage of its convictions, for holding the tender under very difficult circumstances, and for the work, effort and professionalism put into the marketing process. Yet despite the fact that some of the world’s major companies have bid in the tenders held this year in Cyprus, Egypt and Lebanon, they decided to give Israel a wider berth. We must therefore conclude that, under the current circumstances, nothing is about to change that will entice companies to bid by the new deadline of November 15. We need to adopt a new path, as postponing the tender and adopting a ‘more of the same’ approach is unlikely to lead to different results. There are around seven pertinent reasons behind the ongoing postponements of the tender.

Indian companies to bid for Israeli oil and gas licenses - YNETnews.com

15.07.17 , 17:24
Ilan Evyatar/TPS

After Israel issues tenders for licenses to drill in 24 blocs of up to 400 square kilometers in size, India announces that it will take part in the bidding for natural gas and oil licenses in Israel’s maritime economic zones.

Indian energy companies will take part in the bidding for natural gas and oil licenses in Israel’s economic waters, India’s Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan told his Israeli counterpart Yuval Steinitz, during a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey on Wednesday.

The two met on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress and agreed to set up joint work teams to strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries. The announcement comes a week after a historic visit to Israel by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which trade deals worth billions of dollars were signed.

Israel Drilling-rights Auction Draws One Offer So Far; Deadline Extended - HAARETZ

Jun 28, 2017 5:29 AMAvi Bar-Eli

Energy officials put on brave face and extended deadline for proposals for a second time

Israeli energy officials put on a brave face on Tuesday after TheMarker reported that an auction for rights to drill in 24 blocs offshore Israel had attracted only one bid even after the deadline for filing was extended.

TheMarker has learned that the only company to submit a drilling proposal was Greece’s Energean. Two others – Italy’s Edison and Israel’s Shapir Engineering – had purchased the documents and may still act while a fourth – Spain’s Repsol – bought the documents but later backed out.

The Energy Ministry, which had already extended the deadline for submitting proposals to July 10 from February, is extending it a second time to mid-November, officials said.

Steinitz: We'll bring large foreign cos to find gas - GLOBES

27 Jun, 2017 12:56
Nati Yefet

Minister of Energy: I'm convinced we'll succeed in bringing here at least three or four sizeable companies to take part in new gas tenders.

Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy, and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz today opened the third annual Energy and Economics conference at the conference center near Ben Gurion Airport. The conference is a joint initiative of the Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy, and Water Resources, the Manufacturers Association of Israel, the Private Power Producers from Natural Gas Forum, the Green Energy Association of Israel, and the Association of Oil and Gas Exploration Industries in Israel.

Israel working hard to realize the dreams of its gas industry - CNBC

Israel's annual natural gas demand forecast (in BCM)

5 June 2017

Ferry Biedermann; special to CNBC.com

Israel's energy sector is going through momentous changes due the development of its large offshore natural gas reserve.

Last week, Greek oil and gas company Energean introduced a new element of competition into the country's domestic gas market by signing contracts for its two Israeli fields, and earlier this year the country started exporting gas to neighboring Jordan, albeit in initially small quantities.

There are high hopes that Israel's substantial proven reserves, as well as the likelihood of future finds, will change not only the economy but also the geopolitical situation in the region, with Israel potentially becoming an exporter also to Egypt, Turkey and even to Europe. Yet, a combination of that same geopolitical situation, low natural gas prices, the lack of an export infrastructure and regulatory issues may temper such dreams, say experts.

Few takers for Israel's new gas exploration tenders - GLOBES

11 May, 2017 10:30
Nati Yefet

Burdensome regulation, limited export opportunities and geopolitical isolation mean there is scant interest in the licenses on offer.

The Ministry of National Infrastructure, Energy, and Water Resources' tender is likely to yield meager results, even though the deadline for participating in it was postponed from April until July. According to various energy market sources, three to five companies are expected to take part in the tender, even though it involves 24 marine blocks, and despite the grandiose declarations issued when the tender was announced last November. The Association of Oil and Gas Exploration Industries in Israel termed the tender a "historic decision," and Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy, and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz has since repeated at every opportunity his intention of turning Israel into a "regional natural gas power."

Israel's Shapir Weighing Bid for Natural Gas License Tender - BLOOMBERG

7 March 2017, 11:39 am EETYaacov Benmeleh and David Wainer

• Company may need to find a partner with energy expertise
• Shapir shares have outperformed global peers in last year

Shapir Engineering and Industry Ltd., which develops residential, commercial and industrial construction projects in Israel, is considering expanding its operations into offshore energy exploration.

The Petach Tikvah, Israel-based company is mulling a bid to drill for oil and gas in the 24 new blocks opened for exploration in the country’s economic waters, a company spokeswoman told Bloomberg. 

Israel Puts Off License Award In First Offshore Oil, Gas Bid Round - OIL PRICE

Feb 10, 2017, 3:26 PM CST
Tsvetana Paraskova

Israel has extended the original deadlines for each step of its first offshore oil and gas bid round launched last November, Energy Minister Yuval Steiniz said on Thursday.

Under the original plan for re-opening Israel’s offshore to new oil and gas exploration, the country announced its first bid round for development of resources in its territorial waters. At the time, minister Steiniz quoted independent research as having estimated that there are additional resources in a range of 6.6 billion barrels of oil and 2,137 BCM of natural gas yet to be found offshore Israel. The ministry is auctioning off 24 exploration blocks of up to 400 square kilometers (154.4 square miles) each, and will award 3-year licenses, extendable by another 3 years under certain conditions. In order to keep a healthy competition, companies with significant holdings in active offshore leases in the area are not allowed to bid. That means that Israel’s Delek and U.S.-based Noble Energy – which are developing the giant Leviathan natural gas field – are not bidding.

Israel eyes energy source to mend regional relations - SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN / THE NEW YORK TIMES

Saturday, January 14, 2017 10:00 pmPeter Barker

ABOARD THE ATWOOD ADVANTAGE — In the ship’s control room, facing four video screens, a driller from Mississippi in dark shades and a black baseball cap with a skull on it held what could be the future of Israel in his hands.

The massive drill he controlled extended down 11,345 feet, more than 2 miles below the surface of a calm Mediterranean Sea, as it plunged deeper and deeper into one of the biggest natural gas fields discovered in the world in recent years.

Once a barren energy island in a part of the planet otherwise awash in resources, Israel is, after years of delay, finally pushing ahead with an ambitious strategy to tap offshore reserves that could transform its economy and, it hopes, its place in a historically hostile region.

If all goes according to plan, Israel will not only become largely energy-independent, it will also supply neighbors that will have new reason to be friends.

Israeli study points to Turkey as cheapest way to carry natural gas - DAILY SABAH

Source: ABO

27.12.2016

TEKMOR note: Turkey (Republic of) is the sole country that does not recognize EU-member Cyprus (Republic of), since it invaded the northern two fifths of the island in 1974, cleansed it of its majority Christian population and colonises it with populations from mainland Turkey. A pipeline from Israel to Turkey is difficult to say the least without Cyprus' consent.   
--

A study titled, "Commercial Opportunities for Turkish Companies," which was prepared by Israel, has revealed that the cost of building a pipeline between Turkey and Israel would vary between $2.6 billion and $3.9 billion and, that if Greece is chosen as a route for the pipeline, the average cost of the pipeline would amount to $7.15 billion to carry the gas to Europe.

According to the study presented by the Israeli Embassy in a meeting attended by officials from energy companies, a possible pipeline between Turkey and Israel might reach 600 kilometers in length.

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.

Israel minister sees exports to Turkey - NATURAL GAS WORLD

November 22nd, 2016, 1:35pm
Ya'acov Zalel

Israel's energy minister Yuval Steinitz told a conference in Tel Aviv November 21 that the giant Leviathan and two other smaller gas fields offshore Israel, Karish and Tanin, will be developed come what may, and gas would then flow to Turkey.

He told the 2016 Israel Energy and Business Convention in Tel Aviv that there was no question about it. "I know it is sometimes neither simple nor easy. We have done what we had to do, the best I could, and now there is not a situation that timetables would be delayed. It will not happen. It is unthinkable."

The final investment decision (FID) for Leviathan has yet to be taken by the project's partners. Delek is adamant that the FID will be taken by the end of the year while Noble Energy, a 40% shareholder, and the operator, said it could be early next year. Delek Drilling CEO Yossi Abu said at the conference that the Leviathan partners were close to securing $4bn in finance for the field's development. "The Leviathan financing agreements are in the final stages of negotiations," Abu said at the conference. Last month Ratio, a 15% shareholder in Leviathan, had raised about $200mn in bonds in order to finance its equity investment in the project through a mezzanine debt.

Israel wants 2-3 new energy firms to drill off its coast - DAILY MAIL / REUTERS

16 November 2016, 11:35 GMT
Ari Rabinovitch

JERUSALEM, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Israel began accepting bids this week from energy companies to drill for oil and gas in 24 offshore blocks, and its energy minister said that in the end he would be happy choosing just two or three foreign exploration groups.

Upon announcing the tender, Israel released new geological data pointing to a good probability that large natural gas deposits are buried off its Mediterranean coast.

"The preferred outcome is that at the end of the tender we can choose two, three companies that present serious, concrete and relatively fast work plans," Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

They could bid together with local partners, but each group must have a foreigner, he said, "because today in Israel there still are no serious operators".