Tough choices: how to monetise Cyprus’ gas - CYPRUS MAIL

ENI's Carlo Vito Russo and Alessandro Barberis with Energy Minister
Giorgos Lakkotrypis at the seminar

MARCH 10, 2019

Charles Ellinas

Should Cyprus pipe gas to Egypt or build a LNG plant at Vasiliko?

The future of Cyprus’ and the East Med’s gas discoveries was one of the key aims of the annual East Med Gas Conference (EMGC) held in Nicosia this week.

Organised by the US Gulf Energy Information, the conference was well attended, with a rich programme covering the state of the East Med, challenges in exploration and production of the region’s resources, energy security and Cyprus as an oil and gas service centre.

The conference was opened by Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis, who gave an overview of the results from block 10 and future plans. He said that Glafcos, the results of which were announced last week, is a high quality reservoir, with in-place gas estimated to be 5-8 trillion cubic feet (tcf), with recoverability expected to be high.

Upbeat vision of gas future in wake of block 10 find - CYPRUS MAIL

Energy minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis addressing the seminar

March 6, 2019

The gas find in Glafcos (Glaucus) 1 well in Block 10 of the island’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is expected to yield large revenues, the energy minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Sixth Eastern Mediterranean Gas Conference in Nicosia, Lakkotrypis said in the coming weeks further work to confirm the ExxonMobil discovery, which was announced on 28 February to be between 5-8 trillion cubic feet (tcf), will be necessary.

Further discoveries in the Calypso well in Block 6 and in the Aphrodite well in Block 12 serve to paint an overall picture of the potential within the Cyprus EEZ, Lakkotrypis added.

Around five more drillings are expected to take place in the coming period with energy companies ENI and Total, he said, to confirm the natural gas stocks of the Calypso well and reassessing the capacity of Block 10.

Regarding the utilisation of the gas finds, he said that an announcement for Aphrodite is expected within weeks concerning the use of Egyptian terminals.

Drilling plans proceeding despite talks’ failure - CYPRUS MAIL

July 7, 2017

Despite the abrupt collapse of the Cyprus peace talks in Switzerland Thursday night, which threatens a severe deterioration in relations between the governments of the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey, plans by French energy giant Total to start natural gas drilling in Block 11 of the island’s exclusive economic zone proceed as normal.

Total plans to start drilling in the block, located on the southern tip of Cyprus’ EEZ and adjacent to Block 12 (Aphrodite) and Zohr, the block in Egypt’s EEZ where a 30-trillion-cubic-feet reservoir was discovered in 2015, next week, when the arrival of the West Capella ultra-deepwater drillship is expected.

The West Capella is en route to the drilling spot, with an estimated arrival date of July 12.

Total: Drillship “West Capella” arrives in Cyprus on July 12 ahead of Block 11 drilling - FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE

Monday, 03 July, 2017

Preparations for drilling in Block 11 of the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone procced normally and are progressing according to the plan, told CNA General Manager of Total E&P Cyprus Yves Grosjean.

The drilling by French Total in consortium with Italian Eni which acquire last March 50% participating Interest of Block 11 was expected by mid July.

"We are on schedule”, said Grosjean and added that the drillship "West Capella” is on its way and will arrive in Cyprus on 12th of July. After arriving in Cyprus, he added, the drillship will carry out some testing, before starting the drilling at "Onisiforos” well. The tests are expected to last a few days and less than a week.

Energy giants upbeat over Block 11 prospects - CYPRUS MAIL

Drilling will be conducted by the UDW drillship West Capella

June 11, 2017

Elias Hazou

With the countdown well underway to Total’s first well, a hydrocarbons expert has dubbed the outcome as “make or break” for the gas potential of Cyprus’ offshore carbonate formations next to Egypt’s super-giant Zohr reservoir, just a stone’s throw away to the south.

The first foray for gas in Block 11 is weeks away, as confirmed to the Sunday Mail by Yves Grosjean, country manager for Total E&P Cyprus.

“I can confirm that well preparation is on schedule for a start in mid July,” Grosjean said in an email.

“We are of course optimistic as we will be targeting the same carbonate formations as the Zohr discovery. But it remains an exploration well which means that we have no indication whether or not we will find gas.”

TOTAL gears up for first exploratory drilling in block 11 - SIGMA LIVE / CNA

07.10.2016 07:42

French energy heavyweight TOTAL said on Thursday that block 11 in the Cypriot EEZ, which is adjacent to the Egyptian giant gas field Zhor, contains geologic structures which could carry natural gas.

Total signed today a contract with EDT Agency Services Ltd, a subsidiary of the EDT Offshore Group, a contract for Onshore Logistics Base Services in the Limassol port, paving the way for the commencement of exploratory drilling in block 11 in 2017. The ceremony took place in the presence of Ministers of Energy and Transport Yiorgos Lakkotrypis and Marios Demetriades respectively.

Total to start exploratory drilling in April - CYPRUS MAIL

October 6th, 2016, Elias Hazou

Energy giant Total said on Thursday that it plans to carry out its first exploratory drilling for hydrocarbons offshore Cyprus around April next year.

Total E&P Cyprus and EDT offshore, an oil and gas services company, signed a contract where the latter will provide the former onshore logistics services out of the port of Limassol supporting Total’s drilling programme.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Yves Grosjean, country manager for Total E&P Cyprus, said the company was looking at an April 2017 timeframe for its first well.

Total has a concession on offshore Block 11.

In early 2015 Total relinquished Block 10, on which it had also held a concession, without drilling any wells. The company was released from its original two-well drilling commitment but maintained exploration rights in Block 11, agreeing to continue to evaluate 3D seismic data in a bid to locate a possible target.