ExxonMobil asks for 2-year extension to drilling rights - KATHIMERINI

25.AUG.2022 • 22:43
Chryssa Liaggou

Energy multinational ExxonMobil has asked for a two-year extension to the lease of two fields west and southwest of Crete for oil and gas exploration.

The two fields had been leased to France’s Total for three years in October 2019, but it withdrew last April.

ExxonMobil and Greek refiner HELPE have stepped in.

Cyprus’ total potential natural gas capacity now between 11.7 tcf and 14 .7 tcf - IN-CYPRUS

23 AUGUST 2022

Annie Charalambous

TotalEnergies TTEF.PA of France and Italy’s Eni ENI.MI’s significant natural gas discovery at the Cronos-1 well off Cyprus raises the Mediterranean island’s total potential capacity between 11.7 tcf and 14 .7 tcf.

This is what Philenews reported on Tuesday, hours only after Eni said preliminary estimates indicate about 2.5 tcf of gas in place, with significant additional upside that will be investigated by a further exploration well in the area.

The island reported its first natural gas discovery, Aphrodite, in 2011, measuring around 4.5 trillion cubic feet (tcf) and now run by U.S. energy firm Chevron CVX.N.

Monday’s discovery marks the third offshore gas find reported in Cyprus, all of them still untapped.

And it comes as the European Union seeks alternative supply to Russian gas after Moscow’s February invasion of Ukraine.

Eni makes a significant gas discovery offshore Cyprus - ENI

22 AUGUST 2022 - 11:00 AM CEST

San Donato Milanese (Milan), 22 August 2022 – Eni announces a significant gas discovery in the Cronos-1 well drilled in Block 6, 160 km off Cyprus coastline, in 2,287 metres of water depth. The Block is operated by Eni Cyprus holding 50% interest with TotalEnergies as partner.

Preliminary estimates indicate about 2.5 TCF of gas in place, with significant additional upside that will be investigated by a further exploration well in the area.

The well has encountered an important gas column in a carbonate reservoir sequence of fair to excellent properties. The intense data acquisition campaign has shown an overall net pay of more than 260m with intervals owning excellent permeability. Studies on a fast-track development options are already ongoing.

TotalEnergies and ENI make major gas discovery off the shore of Cyprus - REUTERS / UPSTREAM ONLINE

August 22, 202212:08 PM GMT+3

PARIS, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Energy companies TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) and ENI (ENI.MI) said they had made a significant gas discovery at the Cronos-1 well, in Block 6, offshore Cyprus.

Cronos-1 probe in Block 6 has found at least 2.5 Tcf of gas in place, with significantly more potential, according to the operator, as per UpStream Online

Cronos-1 encountered several good quality carbonate reservoir intervals and confirmed overall net gas pay of more than 260 meters, said TotalEnergies in a statement.

"This successful exploration well at Cronos-1 is another illustration of the impact of our Exploration strategy which is focused on discovering resources with low technical cost and low carbon emissions, to contribute to energy security including to provide an additional sources of gas supply to Europe," said Kevin McLachlan, Senior Vice President, Exploration at TotalEnergies.

Egypt Gas’ H1 net profit soars 333.2% YoY - ZAWYA

August 17, 2022
Staff Writer, Arab Finance

• Net profit after tax reached over $5mln in H1 2022

Egypt Gas (EGAS) reported a 333.2% year-on-year (YoY) surge in net profit after tax for the first half (H1) of 2022, according to the financial income statement filed to the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) on August 16th.

Net profit after tax reached EGP 103.52 million in H1 2022, compared to a profit of EGP 23.89 million in H1 2021.

Moreover, the company generated operating revenues of EGP 3.06 billion in the first six months of 2022, up from EGP 2.25 billion in the year-ago period.

Egypt Gas is an Egypt-based shareholding company engaged in the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of natural gas distribution networks and pressure reduction stations for domestic, commercial, and industrial applications.

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.

World LNG Summit & Awards to be hosted in Greece - LNG INDUSTRY

Thursday, 28 July 2022 08:56

The 22nd World LNG Summit & Awards will be held in Athens, Greece, for the first time on 29 November - 02 December 2022. The Summit is endorsed by the Ministry of Environment & Energy, Greece, and hosted by DESFA.

The 22nd World LNG Summit & Awards will bring together global LNG leaders from across the value chain to define the critical role of LNG and gas in both energy security and the ongoing drive for decarbonisation. As LNG enters a new frontier, this will be one of the most important conversations yet for the future of the global LNG and gas industry.

Cyprus expects gas field development plan by end of year - ASSOCIATED PRESS

July 21, 2022
MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A plan to develop a sizeable natural gas field off Cyprus that could help the European Union find alternative energy sources to Russia will be ready by the end of the year, the east Mediterranean island nation’s energy minister said Thursday.

Energy Minister Natasa Pilides said another well is expected to be drilled at the Aphrodite field in the next few months and will be used to gather additional information about the deposit’s size and to extract gas at a later stage.

Initially discovered in 2011, the Aphrodite field is estimated to hold up to 4.4 trillion cubic feet of gas. Chevron, along with partners Dutch Shell and Israeli NewMed Energy, now own the drilling rights to the field.

Aphrodite sits close to the massive Leviathan gas field, which is also jointly operated by Chevron and NewMed.

New pipeline from Greece to Bulgaria offsets Russian gas cut - ABC NEWS / ASSOCIATED PRESS

July 12, 2022, 10:54 PM

The Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece -- The leaders of Greece and Bulgaria on Friday marked the completion of a new pipeline that will supply natural gas from Azerbaijan to Bulgaria, whose vital supply of Russian gas was cut off in April amid the fallout over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed the importance of the new link as an alternative supply line for Bulgaria, as neighboring Greece jockeys to become a regional energy transport hub.

“This isn't just a gas pipeline, but a crucial south-north energy bridge,” Mitsotakis said during a ceremony in northeastern Greece.

Egypt and Chevron agree to explore new East Med gas deal - REUTERS

June 21, 2022, 10:51 AM GMT+3

CAIRO/HOUSTON, June 20 (Reuters) - Egypt's state-owned gas company and U.S.-based Chevron Corp (CVX.N)on Monday signed a preliminary agreement to explore sending natural gas from offshore Mediterranean fields to Egypt for processing and export.

The memorandum of understanding signed by Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) and Chevron will consider transport, import, liquefication and export of natural gas from the eastern Mediterranean, the ministry said.

Chevron two years ago acquired an about 40% stake in a massive natural gas field in the Mediteranean Sea off the coast of Israel. It also plans to drill its first exploration well in a concession area in the eastern Mediterranean in September, Egypt's petroleum ministry said in a statement.

Possible Turkish provocations near Cyprus’ gas exploration plot 6 not ruled out - IN-CYPRUS

21 JUNE 2022

Nicosia is not ruling out possible provocations by Turkey near natural gas exploration plot 6 within Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone in the near future, Philenews reported on Tuesday.

This is what President Nicos Anastasiades told National Council members who met on Monday, adding that Turkey is likely to send a fourth survey-conducting vessel in the Mediterranean island’s EEZ, in full violation of international law.

Turkey continues to carry its Eastern Mediterranean provocative operations on sea into the summer, leading to an escalating war of words with both Cyprus and Greece.

Nicosia is certain that the target of the Turkish actions this time will be block 6. However, Turkey’s actions are carried out in such a way that problems do not arise with the countries whose companies are active in Cyprus’ EEZ.

DNV further confirms feasibility and maturity of the EastMed pipeline - DNV

13 June 2022

On 10 June, 2022, DNV issued confirmation of the Feasibility Statement of the Eastern Mediterranean Deepwater Pipeline (EastMed), a 2000 km long onshore and offshore natural gas conduit project meant to connect offshore gas reserves from the Levantine Basin to Greece via Cyprus, and further to southeastern European countries in conjunction with Poseidon and Greece-Bulgaria interconnection (IGB) pipelines.

The current design envisions a 1400 km offshore and 600 km onshore pipeline, with an initial capacity of about 10 billion m3 of gas each year; the maximum water depth reached, for a short section of around 10 km, is 3000 m, in line with other ultradeep-water pipelines already installed in other parts of the world.

The unique context of this project in the Eastern Mediterranean region helps countries with coal- and heavy crude oil-reliant energy systems transition to the cleaner source that is natural gas to reach their net-zero targets and strengthen their energy security.

In particular, the EastMed Project, developed by IGI Poseidon S.A., is meant to respond to the specific needs of regions such as Cyprus or some part of Greece, which are not tightly connected to the continent’s energy system and whose economies rely heavily on energy-intensive users like marine tankers and international aviation. It would also allow countries like Bulgaria to diversify their supplies and increase their energy security.

Greece-Bulgaria gas interconnector operational from 1 July - EURACTIV

May 27, 2022
Krassen Nikolov

The launch of the gas interconnector became possible after the Bulgarian and Greek energy regulators took a joint decision to licence the gas connection operator – ICGB. The decision was fast-tracked due to the war in Ukraine, which has led to the suspension of Gazprom’s gas supplies to Bulgaria. Authorities in Sofia have rejected Russian demands to change contracts and pay for natural gas in roubles.

The gas connection between Bulgaria and Greece will start operating on 1 July, with Bulgaria poised to receive one billion cubic metres of gas from Azerbaijan – enough to meet the country’s needs during summer, with prices expected to be lower than Russian gas.

The launch of the gas interconnector became possible after the Bulgarian and Greek energy regulators took a joint decision to licence the gas connection operator – ICGB. The decision was fast-tracked due to the war in Ukraine, which has led to the suspension of Gazprom’s gas supplies to Bulgaria. Authorities in Sofia have rejected Russian demands to change contracts and pay for natural gas in roubles.

Eni-Total consortium starts exploratory gas drilling off Cyprus - REUTERS

May 23, 2022, 6:09 PM GMT+3

NICOSIA, May 23 (Reuters) - Italy's Eni (ENI.MI) and TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) of France began drilling an exploration gas well off the coast of Cyprus on Monday, the island's energy ministry said.

The Tungsten Explorer drillship arrived on location south-west of the island on Monday and started drilling work on the 'Cronos-1' prospect, the ministry said.

Eni Cyprus and TotalEnergies EP Cyprus BV, the local units of the two energy majors, collaborate on the project. Eni is operator of the offshore area known as Block 6, with a 50% participation interest. Total has the remaining 50%.

In February 2018 they reported a gas discovery at the Calypso well, another area of the same block.

Cyprus's offshore exploration programme has faced strong objections from Turkey. The island was divided after a 1974 Turkish invasion, with overlapping claims of jurisdiction extending from land to the sea since.

Reporting by Michele Kambas Editing by David Goodman

Israel ramping up gas output, looks to help supply Europe - REUTERS

May 17, 2022, 4:52 PM GMT+8
Ari Rabinovitch

HAIFA, Israel, May 16 (Reuters) - Israel is boosting offshore natural gas output and aims to reach a supply agreement with Europe in the coming months as the continent looks to replace Russian supply.

The country is on track in the next few years to double production to about 40 billion cubic metres (bcm) from about 20 bcm as it expands current projects and brings new fields online, industry officials say.

Israel currently supplies its own market and through a local network of pipelines exports to neighbours Egypt and Jordan, while much of the additional gas is earmarked for Europe.

Energean discovers new gas off Israel's coast - REUTERS

LONDON, May 9 (Reuters) - Eastern Mediterranean-focused oil and gas producer Energean (ENOG.L) said on Monday it had made a new commercial gas discovery off the coast of Israel, although it fell far short of the company's previous estimates.

Energean said it had discovered 8 billion cubic metre (bcm) natural gas in its Athena exploration well which lies between its Karish and Tanin fields.

The figure however falls short of the company's estimates of a 21 bcm resource, which it included in an investor presentation last month.

Energean shares traded in London were up 4% by 0821 GMT.

Athena could be developed by linking it to the floating production and storage vessel (FPSO) Energean plans to use to send gas into the Israeli market from Karish starting in the third quarter, the company said.

Cyprus to export natural gas by 2026, energy minister says - KATHIMERINI

04.05.2022 • 11:52

Cyprus is hoping to begin exporting its natural gas from the Aphrodite gas field by 2026, Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Natasa Pilides, has said.

Speaking after a hearing of the parliamentary committee of Commerce, Pilides said there are many options concerning natural gas infrastructures, one of which is a pipeline connecting the Cypriot gas fields with Egypt, either a joint pipeline with Israeli gas fields or separately.

Pilides also said that there were already discussions with companies that own pipelines from various gas fields to the Egyptian natural gas infrastructure and its contractor companies, as they also should be engaged in the talks with a view to developing the infrastructure within the timeframe, that is three to four years.

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.

Drilling of first Eni-Total well expected in the coming weeks – Energy Minister (Update) - CYPRUS MAIL

April 10, 20229

Cyprus’s Energy Minister, Natasa Pilidou, said that drilling of the first well in the Eni-Total consortium will get underway in the coming weeks.

Pilides, in an interview to Greek-language newspaper ‘Kathimerini’, said that the government is in continuous contact with the Eni-Total consortium for two exploratory wells in 2022.

According to the Energy Minister, the consortium’s delay until now has been due mainly to the effects of measures taken worldwide to address the Covid pandemic.

Regarding the results of drilling at the Glafcos 2 target well by ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum (QP), Pilidou expressed the government’s satisfaction. “Preliminary results are expected in the coming months,” she said, noting that no announcement is expected before the evaluation is completed.

Evaluation drilling completed at Glafcos 2, high quality natural gas found - CYPRUS MAIL

March 21, 20224
Constantinos Tsindas

Evaluation drilling in the Glafcos 2 offshore plot 10 has been completed successfully and safely, the energy ministry said on Monday.

The drilling activity, which also included production testing, was carried out by the ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Cyprus (Offshore) Limited / Qatar Petroleum International Upstream LLC joint venture, which holds the hydrocarbon licence for the plot.

The drilling work led to the discovery of a natural gas concentration with high quality characteristics, the ministry said.

The companies involved will proceed with a detailed analysis and evaluation of all collected data for a more precise specification of quality and quantity as well as feasible options in developing and commercialising the find.

Eni pledges more gas for Europe to help cut reliance on Russia - REUTERS

March 18, 2022, 7:32 PM GMT+2

Stephen Jewkes

• Extra gas could come from Algeria, Egypt and beyond
• Eni steps up targets on path to carbon neutrality
• Returns raised but still disappoint, says broker

MILAN, March 18 (Reuters) - Italian energy group Eni said on Friday it could provide extra gas to Europe to help reduce reliance on Russian supplies after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Eni made the pledge as it set out its strategy to 2025, promising investors better returns and vowing to pick up the pace on its climate ambition to be carbon neutral by 2050.

"We are leveraging our global upstream business and partnerships with producing countries to find alternative supply opportunities for Europe," Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi told a conference call.

The European Union, which relies on Russia for 40% of its gas and 27% of its oil, has proposed plans to replace nearly two-thirds of Russian gas imports this year and aims to phase out dependence on all Russian fossil fuels by 2027.

The US should link eastern Mediterranean gas to Europe to subvert Russia - THE HILL

MARCH/15/22 12:00 PM EDT

Nicholas Saidel, Godfrey Garner 

The Biden administration should pause its hyper-focus on renewable energy and support efforts to prevent Russian energy blackmail against our European allies. The European Union (EU) has declared it will cut reliance on Russian gas by two-thirds. If the U.S. is serious about energy security in Europe, it must help ensure that eastern Mediterranean natural gas makes it to Europe’s shores.

In late January, President Biden took the opposite route, surprising Greece, Israel and Cyprus — the regional entities in the U.S.-sponsored “3+1” cooperation framework — by withdrawing support for the EastMed Pipeline, an unfunded, multibillion-dollar concept conceived in 2016 that would have brought eastern Mediterranean gas to Europe via an underground pipeline. Biden cited climate change and economic viability concerns, both arguably reasonable positions at the time. However, considering Russia’s war in Ukraine and its downstream effects, Biden must show flexibility and adapt his natural gas policy.

Gas from the eastern Mediterranean could diversify Europe’s energy portfolio. Israel alone has approximately 2.2 trillion cubic meters of gas awaiting discovery. While it wouldn’t satisfy all of Europe’s needs, it would help to offset Russian gas imports. NATO countries such as Germany, Italy and Turkey could benefit from new suppliers, especially since German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has halted the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project that would have increased the country’s reliance on Russian gas. Like Germany, Italy is seeking alternative sources.

Israel, Cyprus face an opportunity for shared economic reservoir - opinion - THE JERUSALEM POST

MARCH 10, 2022 19:03

Michael Harari

The Yishai reservoir, located about 170 km. west of Haifa, is part of Israel’s economic waters and is a geological continuation of the Aphrodite reservoir, located in Cypriot economic waters. In other words, it is a cross-border reservoir.

The most common practice worldwide is an agreement for joint exploitation, i.e. unitization. The two countries agreed that this was indeed a joint reservoir, but even though more than 10 years had passed, the countries had not been able to reach an agreement concerning the exact portion of each country.

A year ago, the two governments decided to impose the task on the companies on both sides and instructed them to negotiate between them to reach an agreement on the compensation that the companies on the Cypriot side will give to those on the Israeli side.

The compensation is for a full waiver by the Israeli side of its rights and assets in the reservoir, as well as a waiver of a unitization move, as agreed between the countries in 2010. A time frame of one year was set for this, at the end of which, if the companies failed, the reins would be returned to the two governments.

Chevron CEO says Israel gas pipeline could supply Europe amid crisis - THE JERUSALEM POST

MARCH 8, 2022 13:00
BEN ZION GAD, REUTERS 

Europe's natural gas shortage, which has pushed prices to multi-year highs, has revived talk of the EastMed pipeline – a Mediterranean Sea pipeline that could carry gas from Israel to European customers, Chevron Chief Executive Michael Wirth said on Monday at the CERAWeek energy conference.

Wirth downplayed concerns over global oil supplies amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the subsequent potential for an energy crisis.

The EastMed pipeline, meant to transfer natural gas from Israeli waters to Europe via Greece and Cyprus, was announced in 2016, and several agreements have been signed between the three countries on the subject. They aim to complete the €6 billion ($6.54 b.) project by 2025, but no financing has been secured for it as of yet.

Elharrar vows involvement if Israel-Cyprus gas field dispute unresolved - THE JERUSALEM POST

FEBRUARY 6, 2022 17:15

If the Israeli and Cypriot companies licensed to develop the Aphrodite-Yishai gas field do not reach an agreement on the matter by March 4, the state will get involved, Energy Minister Karin Elharrar said last week in a letter to Nammax Oil and Gas Ltd.

“Israel never gave up on its rights to the Yishai Reservoir, including the demand that the reservoir not be opened unilaterally... This stance has been made clear to all sides a number of times on different occasions,” she wrote in response to a letter from Herzliya-based Nammax, which, together with Israel Opportunity, holds the license to operate the field.

Israel and Cyprus have been involved in a years-long dispute over the development of the gas field in the Mediterranean. About 10% of the Aphrodite-Yishai gas field is in Israel’s exclusive economic zone, and the rest belongs to Cyprus. The two countries agreed in 2010 to develop it together.

The Energy Ministry estimates the Israeli part of Aphrodite-Yishai has 10 billion to 12 billion cubic meters of natural gas, much less than the Leviathan gas field, which has an estimated 605 bcm.

After Cyprus moved toward developing Aphrodite, the Energy Ministry under former minister Yuval Steinitz agreed with its Cypriot counterpart last March that the companies involved would negotiate and reach an agreement within a year.

ExxonMobil: Pipeline, Ship or Both for Exporting Cyprus Gas - U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Feb. 1, 2022, at 4:42 a.m.
By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS, Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Natural gas will remain an important energy source through 2050 and quantities of the hydrocarbon found off the east Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus could reach markets through a pipeline or by liquefying it for transport by ship, the head of ExxonMobil's Cyprus arm said Tuesday.

ExxonMobil Cyprus lead country manager Varnavas Theodossiou said “all energy sources remain important” for the next three decades “across a range” of scenarios set out under the Paris Agreement on climate change as the globe shifts to cleaner fuels toward achieving a zero-emissions goal.

He told The Associated Press by email that a combination of a pipeline or ship-transported, liquefied gas is also a possibility in getting the hydrocarbon to market.

Half of Bulgaria-Greece gas link capacity already reserved - SEE NEWS

Jan 26, 2022 17:43 EEST
Aleksia Petrova

SOFIA (Bulgaria), January 26 (SeeNews) - ICGB, the company developing the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria project, said that a total of 1.57 bcm, half of the gas link's capacity, has already been reserved ahead of its planned launch of commercial operations in July.

"Four out of the five shippers that have booked capacity are entirely new to the Bulgarian market and that leads us to believe the international and market interest in the project will only be growing after its commercial launch," ICGB said in a statement quoting Teodora Georgieva, its executive officer on the Bulgarian side.

ICGB also said that it has signed a contract with Germany-based PRISMA European Capacity Platform, Europe’s leading gas capacity trading platform, marking a major milestone in the preparations for the pipeline’s launch of commercial operation.

Greece turning into gas hub - KATHIMERINI

23.JAN.2022 • 10:29
Chryssa Liaggou

Greece will add two more liquefied natural gas terminals for storage and gasification, thereby strengthening its gas supply security and obtaining a strong role in transit by making the most of its strategic location and its new corridors for the supply of Europe and the Balkans.

Greek energy groups want to make the most of the opportunity of gas being the bridge fuel on the way to clean energy, and of Balkan countries’ need to diversify their sources and not be so reliant on Gazprom. They have therefore designed and are promoting infrastructure for their entry into the Greek LNG system. The fuel will use Greece’s pipelines (the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria and its connectors, and the plan for the interconnection with North Macedonia) to reach the neighboring countries and reduce their dependence on Turkey, which besides hosting pipelines has also invested in LNG infrastructure, making it a hub for Southeast Europe.

EastMed: The US just stated the obvious - CYPRUS MAIL

January 16, 2022

Dr Charles Ellinas

• EastMed never was viable and technically it stretched the limits
• The world has moved on and it’s time we did too

The news last Monday that the US State Department finally abandoned the EastMed gas pipeline should not have come as a surprise – the US stated the obvious. Sadly, instead of this announcement attracting the openminded response it deserves, much of the publicity in the Greek and Cypriot press has been negative and in cases demeaning, preferring to conjure conspiracies behind it, rather than doing the obvious and simple thing: taking it at face value.

But these responses will not detract from the fact that the future is in clean energy and electricity interconnections, that facilitate electrical stability and wider adoption of renewables in a region that has the potential and can really benefit from transition to clean energy – and not in gas exports. That is exactly what I have been advocating for years now.

Cyprus gas project going full steam ahead - KATHIMERINI

13.01.2022 • 23:06

Work on the ETYFA Flagship project, which will supply clean natural gas to Vassilikos Power Station in Cyprus, is continuing unabated despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two vital components that have to be installed on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier ETYFA Prometheas are the regasification (Regas) module and the power module.

The Regas module is responsible for converting the liquefied natural gas to a gaseous form and deliver this to Vassilikos Power Station in order to power the combined cycle turbines which generate electricity for the Republic of Cyprus. The Regas module is being installed on the bow of the ship.

Eni secures five oil and gas exploration licences in Egypt - OFFSHORE TECHNOLOGY

January 11, 2022

The licences are located in the Western Desert, the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, and the Gulf of Suez.

Italian oil and gas company Eni has received five new exploration licences from the Egyptian government, including four as operator.

The licences, located offshore and onshore, were awarded as part of the Egypt International Bid Round for Petroleum Exploration and Exploitation, launched in 2021 by the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.

Covering a total acreage of approximately 8,410km², the licences include Block EGY-MED-E5 and Block EGY-MED-E6 in the Mediterranean Sea, Block EGY-GOS-13 in the Gulf of Suez, and Blocks Egy-WD- 7 and EGY-WD-9 in the Western Desert.

In a statement, Eni said: “The licences are placed within prolific basins with proved petroleum systems able to generate liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons, and can also rely on nearby existing producing and processing facilities and on a demanding market that will allow a quick valorisation of the potential exploration discoveries.”

The results are in line with the Italian firm’s strategy to continue to explore and produce gas in Egypt to sustain the domestic market.

U.S. voices misgivings on EastMed gas pipeline -Greek officials - FINANCIAL POST / REUTERS

Jan 11, 2022

ATHENS — The United States has expressed misgivings on a subsea pipeline designed to supply Europe with natural gas from the eastern Mediterranean, Greek government sources said, in an apparent U-turn over a project supported by the Trump administration.

Washington let its concerns be known recently, in a note sent to Greece, another source said.

Competing claims over gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean are a point of tension between Turkey and ethnically-split Cyprus. Turkey opposes the pipeline project.

Greece, Cyprus and Israel have approved an agreement for the EastMed pipeline, which has been in planning for several years. The countries had aimed to reach a final investment decision this year and have the 6 billion euro scheme completed by 2025 to help Europe diversify its energy resources.

Turkey complains to UN over Cyprus gas moves - KATHIMERINI

31.12.2021 • 11:59
Vassilis Nedos

Turkey has sent a letter of complaint to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres taking issue with Cyprus’ recent decision to grant natural gas exploration rights to the ExxonMobil/Qatar Petroleum consortium in Block 5 of its exclusive economic zone and to move ahead with exploratory drilling in Block 10.

Note: Turkey must be told to address the rights of its 20+ million Kurdish community before preaching and threatening Cypriots about their 15% minority community.

In the letter, dated December 20, Turkey’s permanent representative to the UN, Feridun Sinirlioglu, describes Cyprus’ decision for Block 10 as “another example among the many escalatory steps jeopardizing peace and stability.” He also stresses the determination of Turkey and the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus to protect their legal rights and interests against such “unilateral acts and provocations.”

With regard to Block 5, Sinirlioglu claims the deal violates Turkey’s rights, adding that Turkey “will not allow any unauthorized hydrocarbon activity within its continental shelf.”

Israel turns to UN over Lebanese tender for drilling in its maritime waters - THE JERUSALEM POST

December 27, 2021 04:52

Tovah Lazaroff

Israel has turned to the United Nations to protest Lebanon's issuance of a tender for offshore drilling in disputed maritime waters, over which both governments have claimed sovereignty.

"I would like to raise my government’s serious concerns regarding the recent tender issued by the Government of Lebanon to grant offshore licenses in maritime areas where Israel asserts sovereign rights or jurisdiction in accordance with International law,” Israel Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan wrote Sunday in a letter he penned UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

At issue is a long-standing border dispute over an 860 square kilometer area in the eastern Mediterranean near Israel’s natural gas fields.

Although Israeli and Lebanon do not have diplomatic ties, the former Trump administration brokered talks last year between the two countries in an effort to resolve that longstanding dispute.

Libya’s El Sharara oil field shut - ARGUS

20 December 2021
Ruxandra Iordache

Libya's state-owned oil firm NOC has declared force majeure on crude exports from two ports in the west of the country after output from three fields was shut down earlier today.

Libya's largest oil field — the 300,000 b/d El Sharara field — was shut by the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), which protects state-owned NOC's assets, trading and Libya-based sources said.

El Sharara is operated by Akakus Oil, a joint venture between NOC, Spain's Repsol, Austria's OMV, Norway's Equinor and TotalEnergies. The PFG is protesting against NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla's attempt to remove Ahmed Ammar from Akakus Oil's management team, according to one of the sources. Output from El Sharara is prioritised for the 120,000 b/d Zawia refinery. The remaining volumes are exported from the nearby Zawia terminal.

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.

Can Egypt Become A Global LNG Power? - OILPRICE.COM

Dec 13, 2021, 2:00 PM CST
Cyril Widdershoven

• As demand for LNG around the world soars ahead of winter, Egypt is taking full advantage of high prices
• As well as the financial reward of increased exports, Egypt appears to be using its LNG supply to influence Turkey
• In Turkey, support for Erdogan is dwindling amidst high energy prices and rising inflation, forcing him to open up to both the UAE and Egypt

Egypt’s long-suffering LNG industry is finally experiencing some success as it takes advantage of European gas market constraints and exploits regional geopolitical developments. Cairo’s dream of becoming a global LNG player was derailed by a combination of the Arab Spring, conflict with Turkey, and then COVID demand destruction. Now, however, the country’s LNG industry is poised for major growth, with its largest producer, EGAS, having just offered a cargo on a free-on-board (FOB) basis for loading over December 28 and 29 from its Damietta LNG plant. The EGAS LNG tender will be closing on December 13, sources have stated. The last EGAS LNG tenders, which closed on November 29, were successful, as the company sold four out of five spot cargoes for loading between December and February.

ExxonMobil, Qatar Energy sign Cyprus exploration block - FINANCIAL MIRROR

10 December 2021

US giant ExxonMobil and Qatar Energy Friday signed an exploration and production-sharing contract for oil and gas in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) despite Turkey’s opposition to the deal.

The contract was signed by Cypriot Energy Minister Natasa Pilides and Varnavas Theodosiou, CEO of ExxonMobil Cyprus and Ali al Mana, Director of Qatar Energy’s International Upstream and Exploration.

It is the second Cyprus exploration contract the consortium has signed and the tenth licenced block of 13 in the Cypriot EEZ.

ExxonMobil, Qatar awarded Block 5 gas rights - CYPRUS MAIL

December 2, 2021
George Psyllides

The cabinet on Thursday awarded natural gas exploration rights for an offshore block to a consortium made up of ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum.

Energy Minister Natasa Pilides said ExxonMobil would be administering the Block 5 concession with a share of 60 per cent.

“In addition, I have been authorised to sign on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus, the exploration and production sharing contract agreed with the consortium after intense negotiations,” the minister said.

ExxonMobil and partner Qatar Petroleum plan on drilling an appraisal well in Block 10, where natural gas was discovered, towards the end of November or early December.

Greece teams up with Egypt on gas supply, infrastructure - REUTERS

November 25, 2021, 6:11 PM EET

ATHENS, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Greece and Egypt agreed on Thursday to expand their cooperation in the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and examine the possibility of constructing a subsea gas pipeline between the two countries, the Greek energy ministry said.

Greece, which mainly imports gas from Algeria, Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey, has been looking to diversify its resources and become an energy hub in southeastern Europe.

The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding in Cairo on Thursday as a step towards specific agreements between Greek and Egyptian companies, the Greek energy ministry said in a statement.

Last month, Greece and Egypt agreed on a plan to build an undersea cable linking their electricity grids.

Gas projects back on track - CYPRUS MAIL

November 18, 2021

Elias Hazou

The consortium holding the concession on block 10 in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone are making final preparations for follow-up drilling to narrow down the precise quantities of natural gas in place, with the results expected sometime in spring 2022, Energy Minister Natasa Pilides said Thursday.

She was speaking at a press conference she called taking stock of the energy ministry’s work over the past year.

Pilides said other offshore exploratory projects are likewise getting back on track following the delays caused by the coronavirus situation, stressing that the government is prepared to deal with any Turkish provocations on the high seas.

Amid Tensions, Turkey Expands Its Offshore Drilling Fleet - U.S. NEWS / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nov. 17, 2021, at 7:13 a.m.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey is acquiring a new drilling ship to search for natural gas in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, the country’s president announced Wednesday, amid unresolved tensions with Greece and Cyprus over Ankara's offshore energy exploration.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told legislators from his ruling party that Turkey is expanding its fleet of drilling vessels to four, describing the new ship as a high-tech vessel.

Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said on Twitter that the ship would be capable of drilling at a depth of some 3,600 meters (11,800 feet).

LNG import terminal a ‘transformational project’ for Cyprus - CYPRUS MAIL

November 12, 2021
Kyriacos Nicolaou

The LNG import terminal project would be transformational for Cyprus said Symeon Kassianides, the chairman of the Natural Gas Public Company (DEFA), said on Thursday at the Eastern Mediterranean Energy Conference being held in Nicosia,

“This project will lift Cyprus’ energy isolation and reduce the country’s reliance on oil,” Kassianides said, adding: “It’s a transformational project for the country, it will lead to lower electricity costs, new technological developments and create jobs.”

Cyprus’ LNG import terminal, a pivotal energy project, took centre stage, during the second of the three-day conference in which energy industry professionals from Cyprus and abroad are participating.

Kassianides, whose presentation looked at DEFA’s impact and the transition towards a cleaner energy source, explained that this is the largest sustainable investment ever undertaken by Cyprus.

Is Egypt’s Oil And Gas Sector Set To Boom? - OILPRICE.com

Nov 06, 2021, 10:00 AM CDT
Felicity Bradstock

• Italian oil major, Eni, announced this week that it has made three new oil and gas discoveries in the Meleiha region of western Egypt.
• The new discovery further adds to Egypt’s recent announcement that it expects to become self-sufficient in oil by as early as 2023.
• Eni’s finds are just the latest in several significant oil and gas discoveries over the last decade.

As Eni makes a new oil and gas discovery in Western Egypt, the future of energy in the oil-rich nation looks promising. After record production figures were hit in September for the first time since 1957, with an output of 65,000 bpd, as well as plans for new refineries and high levels of LNG production, Egypt looks set to not only become self-sufficient in energy but also to become a major exporter.

Next exploration round will determine the speed and way of hydrocarbon exploitation, Minister says - CYPRUS MAIL

November 5, 2021

The next natural gas exploration round as well as the hydrocarbon quantities located will determine the speed and the exploitation of the hydrocarbon reserves in Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry Natasa Pilides has said.

Addressing the 9th Energy Symposium in Nicosia, Pilides also expressed the view that natural gas should remain a transitory fuel as the EU progresses to the green transition despite views expressed that this should be banned from the energy mix.

“The next exploration round, which is expected to begin with the drilling by ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum in block 10, is something we eagerly await with high expectations, because surely the hydrocarbon quantities in our offshore blocks will determine to a large extent the speed and the way of exploitation of the hydrocarbons in the Cypriot EEZ,” Pilides said.

Greece says wants to discuss maritime zones with Turkey - REUTERS

October 29, 2021, 4:29 PM EEST

ATHENS, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Greece said it would be willing to agree with Turkey on demlimiting their respective economic zones at sea, urging its neighbour to tone down what it said were tensions harming Ankara's ties with the EU.

The two neighbours, allies in NATO, are at odds over a number of issues from commercial rights in the Aegean to territorial waters and the ethnically-split island of Cyprus.

"My door is always open, but this dialogue presupposes a reduction in unnecessary tensions," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after meeting German Acting Chancellor Angela Merkel who was visiting Athens.

"Greece has signed agreements defining exclusive economic zones with neighbouring countries like Italy, Egypt. There is no reason why we cannot do it with Turkey, provided that the tensions be toned down, and realise that such an approach would be eventually beneficial to both countries," Mitsotakis said.

Eni Makes Three Discoveries in Egypt’s Western Desert - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT

Wednesday, 27 October, 2021 - 08:45

Cairo - Sabri Nageh

Egypt’s petroleum ministry said on Tuesday that Italian energy group Eni made three oil and gas discoveries in the western desert.

The discoveries include oil, gas and condensate discoveries in the Meleiha concession, and an oil discovery in the South Mleiha concession area.

According to the Ministry of Petroleum, the finds in the Meleiha Development Concession were found via the Yasmin W-1X and MWD-21 wells, which were drilled in the Aman region near the West Meleiha deep field, respectively.

EXCLUSIVE Israel considering new pipeline to boost gas exports to Egypt - REUTERS

October 21, 2021 4:14 PM EEST

By Ron Bousso and Ari Rabinovitch

• Israel, Egypt holding talks on new onshore pipeline -ministry
• New pipeline expected to cost $200 mln -industry sources
• Pipeline will boost exports by 3 to 5 bcm/year -industry sources

LONDON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Israel is considering the construction of a new onshore pipeline to Egypt in order to quickly boost natural gas exports to its neighbour in the wake of the recent tightening of global supplies, the Israeli energy ministry said.

The pipeline, which will connect the Israeli and Egyptian natural gas grids through the north of the Sinai peninsula, is estimated to cost around $200 million and could be operational within 24 months, industry sources who are close to the discussions told Reuters.

Cyprus, Egypt sign deal to speed up electricity grid linkage - THE SEATTLE TIMES / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Oct. 16, 2021 at 5:04 pm
The Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — An undersea cable linking the electricity grids of Cyprus and Egypt could be key to helping both countries transition to a green economy and meet their commitments on battling climate change, the Cypriot energy minister said Saturday.

Minister Natasa Pilides said a memorandum of understanding she signed with Egypt’s Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker El-Markabi sketches out the project’s planning, development and implementation.

“Fortifying our electricity grids and allowing the further integration of renewables in our respective energy mix, enhancing the security of our energy supply and enabling us to become exporters of energy, are but a few of the tangible benefits,” Pilides said.

Cyprus: ExxonMobil to gauge gas field size in 6-8 weeks - MIAMI HERALD, ASSOCIATED PRESS

OCTOBER 14, 2021 3:07 PM

Menelaos Hadjicostis

NICOSIA, CYPRUS Drilling by ExxonMobil set for late next month to confirm how much natural gas is contained in a sizable deposit off Cyprus' southwestern coast will map out how the fuel will reach potential markets in Europe and Asia, the island nation's energy minister said on Wednesday.

Minister Natasa Pilides says the “significant” drilling at the ‘Glaucus-1’ well inside block 10 of Cyprus’ exclusive zone scheduled to start in 6-8 weeks will determine if the deposit is at the higher or lower end of its estimated size of 5-8 trillion cubic feet (142-227 billion cubic meters) of natural gas.

A higher confirmed quantity would naturally mean greater profits and in turn push exploitation of the deposit up the priority list for ExxonMobil and partner Qatar Petroleum among the different projects they’re currently working on.