Dispute with Israel will not affect development of Aphrodite, minister says - CYPRUS MAIL

December 9, 2019

Evie Andreou

The outcome of talks between Cyprus and Israel over a dispute regarding the offshore border with Israel’s Yishai gas field will not affect development of the island’s Aphrodite gas field, Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis said on Monday.

“First, development of the Aphrodite reserve is going on as planned, and second, as regards the special agreement with Israel, there is a set procedure that is being followed for some time and will continue to be followed,” the minister said.

“But the most important thing I want to stress is that these two things, that is, the development of Aphrodite and the procedure for a special agreement, are not linked as far as the Cypriot side is concerned.”

Israel blocking Aphrodite gas field development - GLOBES

8 Dec, 2019 18:23
Amiram Barkat

Energy Ministry director general Udi Adiri has told Shell, Noble Energy and Delek Drilling they cannot develop the Cypriot reservoir until the border dispute with Israel's Yishai license is settled.

Israel is opposed to the development of Cyprus's Aphrodite offshore natural gas field until the dispute over the border with Israel's Yishai gas field is settled, Ministry of Energy director general Udi Adiri has made clear in a letter sent to the reservoir's rights owners Delek Drilling LP (TASE: DEDR.L), Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL) and Shell.

Adiri wrote to Delek Drilling CEO Yossi Abu, Noble Energy SVP Keith Elliot and Shell East Med GM Chris Breeze, "I wish to advise you that the State of Israel has not relinquished its share of the Aphrodite-Yishai natural gas reservoir, and has no intention of doing so."

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.

Israeli Greens Fume as Noble Energy Asks to Block Publication of Leviathan Data - HAARETZ

Mar 27, 2018 4:20 AMZafrir Rinat 

The Noble Energy company has asked to block publication of some of the data connected to the gas platform at Leviathan for reasons of commercial secrecy. At issue is data meant to be privy to the public under the emissions permit the company will be receiving, which will set the pollution limits allowed during operation of the rigs.

The area’s Association of Cities for the Environment is demanding that all the data be released, and the Environmental Protection Ministry is also arguing that as much data as possible should be made public.

A year-and-a-half ago Noble Energy launched the process for requesting an emissions permit, which all industrial installations must have under the Clean Air Law. On the gas processing platform that the company plans to start operating next year, there will be processes that could lead to the emission of large amounts of toxic substances, such as benzene. Under the emissions permit, the company is required to install measures on the platform to reduce these emissions.

Israeli Natural Gas Cartel Seeking Testimony From Top Treasury Officials About Gas Deal - HAARETZ

Nov 06, 2017 4:36 AMIdo Baum 
Noble Energy fighting class action suit over gas prices agreed between cartel and Israel Electric Corporation

One of the partners in the Tamar natural gas field cartel, Noble Energy, is seeking to subpoena three senior Israeli government officials to testify in Central District Court for a hearing over a class action suit against the cartel.

The officials are Shaul Meridor – the outgoing director general of the Energy Ministry – who was chosen to head the Finance Ministry’s budget division; Udi Adiri, the outgoing deputy head of the budget division, who is slated to switch places with Meridor and be the next director general of the Energy Ministry; and Morris Dorfman, who was deputy head of the National Economic Council and now serves as head of the Health Ministry’s regulatory division.

All three played key roles in putting together the framework agreement two years ago.

According to the subpoena request filed last week, cartel officials believe these witnesses can shed light on the fact that the natural gas price in Israel was set under Israel’s authority.