Tag Archive for natural gas

| November 8, 2013
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Cyprus edges into the Middle East frying pan

 

Turkey’s population outnumbers that of Cyprus by nearly 100 times. But Nicosia can create alliances, especially with Israel, to enhance its security. Israel in turn gains, by combined gas operations, strategic depth for its air force, and a diplomatic friend in the European Union.

By Daniel Pipes

The Republic of Cyprus has entered the maelstrom of the world’s most volatile region, thanks to new-found gas and oil reserves combined with an erratic Turkish foreign policy and a civil war in Syria. Even as leaders of this Mediterranean island show skill dealing with these novel threats and opportunities, they need support from a strong U.S.

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| November 3, 2013
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Turkey After Israeli Natural gas, but Politics in the Way

 

Proposed future natural gas pipeline project between Israel-Turkey has estimated value at $3.5 billion.

By Reuters

 

 

Turkey’s Zorlu Energy is in talks with Israeli firms over the potential for a pipeline to carry Israeli natural gas to Turkey, industry sources say, but the political rift between the two former allies is holding up progress.

leviathan - Albatross - May 30 2011

The drilling rig at the Leviathan offshore natural gas field. – Photo: Albatross

Israel could become a gas exporter by the end of the decade after the discovery of two major offshore fields off its Mediterranean coast – Leviathan and Tamar.

Turkey, dependent on imports for almost all of its energy, is looking to diversify away from expensive Russian gas and could become a customer as well as providing a transit route to other markets, particularly Europe. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| October 21, 2013
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Israel’s High Court rejects petition against natural gas exports

 

In the petition to the High Court, signed by MK Yacimovich & MK Rivlin, the call for a gas export policy to be determined by Knesset falls 5-2.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB, SHARON UDASIN


 

 

The High Court of Justice on Monday rejected by a tally of 5-2 a petition against the state’s unilateral decision on Israel’s natural gas export policy.

A natural gas rig west of Haifa, Israel. - Photo: Albatross Aerial Perspective/AP

The Finance Ministry expects gas production from the Tamar natural gas field to contribute 0.8% to GDP for 2013 – – Photo: Albatross Aerial Perspective/AP

The petition, signed by a number of MKs, including opposition leader Shelly Yacimovich and Reuven Rivlin (Likud Baytenu) called for gas export policy to be determined by the Knesset.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| September 30, 2013
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Lebanon Encroaches Into Israel’s Natural Gas Fields

The Lebanese gov’t is about to award offshore drilling licenses in areas that violates Israel’s exclusive economic zone.

By Gil Ronen

 

Lebanon is homing in on Israel’s territorial waters, according to a report in Globes.

Official Israeli sources told the newspaper that Lebanon is about to award offshore oil and gas exploration licenses in areas that encroach on Israel’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Israel’s “Tamar” oil rig – Reuters

Lebanon published tenders for offshore oil and gas exploration licenses in early September, in five blocks in its EEZ.

It is a highly provocative act which has the potential to greatly inflame hostilities between the two nations. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| August 20, 2013
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US Naval Analyst: Mideast Gas a Chance for US to Break from Turkey

The newly drilled natural gas fields in the Mediterranean provide the U.S. with an opportunity to break with Turkey, whose adoption of a hostile neo-Ottoman ideology to guide it in the 21st century, worries them.

By Elad Benari

 

The natural gas fields in the Mediterranean provide the United States with an opportunity to break with Turkey, according to Seth Cropsey, formerly the deputy undersecretary of the Navy in the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations.

“Politics and alliances in the eastern Mediterranean are shifting, and the region’s security framework is splintering,” Cropsey wrote Monday in PJ Media. “The region is now divided as much within the Muslim world as between it and the non-Muslim states.” Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , , ,
| July 15, 2013
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With Plenty of Natural Gas – Exporting it is Another Story

Israel’s choice may be between selling gas quickly that may anger the Russians, or looking at a more long-term prospect without alienating the U.S.

By Saurav Jha

Last month, the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to export up to 40 percent of the gas from Israel’s Eastern Mediterranean fields, with expected earnings of up to $60 billion over a 20-year period. This is, however, only the first step toward realizing export revenues from Israel’s gas reserves, a process fraught with complicated choices over the route and destination of those exports. Rather than aiming to use its gas for any great geopolitical gains, Israel currently seems happy to avoid unsettling interested parties while it reaps long-term economic gains from its gas bounty. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| July 14, 2013
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Egyptians Arrest Palestinian Returning to Gaza for Pipeline Explosion in Sinai

Egyptian security officials arrested a Palestinian in connection to the 15th bomb blast that destroyed a Sinai gas pipeline that supplies Jordan.

By Elad Benari

 

Egyptian security officials arrested a Palestinian Authority Arab man on Friday in connection to a bomb blast which targeted a gas pipeline in Sinai last week, security officials told the Bethlehem-based Ma’an news agency.

Mohamed Abu Hashem, 30, was detained in the Sinai Peninsula while trying to return to Gaza, Egyptian officials told Ma’an, and faces charges of blowing up a gas pipeline in north Sinai last Sunday.

Saboteurs blew up the pipeline, which supplied natural gas to Jordan, in two places. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| July 8, 2013
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Lebanese Minister: Israel very capable of stealing our gas

Lebanese energy minister calls for urgent parliamentary session and urged the gov’t to take every step necessary to mark Lebanon’s maritime border with Cyprus & Israel.

By Doron Peskin

 

 

 

Lebanese Energy Minister Gebran Bassil called for an urgent parliamentary session over the weekend to discuss the Israeli “threat” on his country’s natural gas reserves.

Karish 1

Bassil was referring to reports in Israel about the discovery of the Karish (“Shark”) gas field off the shores of the northern city of Nahariya.

The minister presented reporters with a map and stated that Israel could “theoretically” place a gas pipe and pull the gas “located 4 kilometers (2.5 miles)” from Lebanon‘s natural gas wells, thanks to its advanced technological abilities. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| July 7, 2013
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Israel watches as Egypt’s military battles Jihadists elements in Sinai

 

The Egyptian army is currently engaged in battle with Islamists across the Sinai. According to an Egyptian newspaper, the Egyptian military are battling “terrorists and jihadists elements” in the Sinai.

Former head of Counter Terrorism Bureau suggests Israel permit additional Egyptian forces into Sinai and amend Camp David accords allowing it.

Gas pipeline attacked for first time this year.

By Gideon Allon, Shlomo Cesana and Israel Hayom Staff

Israel should do all it can to help the new secular government in Egypt beat the Muslim Brotherhood, even if that means amending the Military Annex of the Camp David peace accords to allow more Egyptian military assets into the Sinai Peninsula, the former director of the Counter-Terrorism Bureau in the Prime Minister’s Office Brig.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| June 23, 2013
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MKs demand that gas export issue be decided in Knesset

MK Avishay Braverman: If Knesset doesn’t accept decision, it will have no legitimacy.

By SHARON UDASIN
 

 

On the eve of Sunday’s cabinet session during which a decision on gas exports is scheduled to take place, a number of Knesset members drafted letters to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the other ministers demanding that they transfer the decision to the Knesset.

Tamar natural gas rig.

Tamar natural gas rig. – Photo: Albatross

“In order to help the legislative process of gas export, the Economic Affairs Committee will also work in August,” wrote MK Avishay Braverman (Labor). “The committee will continue discussions in August in order to hear all the sides, of the government, the public and the developers, and will formulate a bill that will be good for the citizens and the economy of Israel.”

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| June 21, 2013
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Netanyahu: Natural Gas exports to yield $60 billion in revenue over 20 years

 

Israel stands to become one of the world’s top-25 gas exporters. PM Netanyahu says Israel will export 40% of its natural gas, keeping 60% for domestic use.

Opposition Leader Yachimovich: Bill is a shameful capitulation to the tycoons, a major blow to Israel’s economy.

By Zeev Klein, Hezi Sternlicht, Reuters and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that Israel will keep 60 percent of the natural gas it harvests from its offshore gas fields for domestic use, setting export levels at 40%. The cabinet will vote on a bill to that effect next week.

Tamar offshore gas field – Photo: Albatross

The Tamar and Leviathan fields, discovered in 2009 and 2010 west of the Haifa coast, are two of the world’s largest offshore natural gas fields.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| June 14, 2013
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Protesters chain themselves to Energy Ministry entrance for its Gas export

2 activists protesting against Israel’s export of gas were detained by police. One activist was detained in Beersheba.

By Noam (Dabul) Dvir

 

Jerusalem Police detained for questioning two activists protesting against the export of gas Thursday evening, after they chained themselves to the Energy and Water Resources Ministry doors.

כבולים בשלשלאות במשרד האנרגיה, היום (צילום: חנה קופרמן )

Chained to Energy Ministry, Thursday – Photo: Hana Cooperman

One of the two, Udi Chen, who was chained to a gate for most of the day, told Ynet: “As long as the gas in Israel is not sufficient for our domestic needs, it is irresponsible to export it to other countries.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| May 22, 2013
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Israel’s huge gas discoveries opens ‘gas for peace’ strategy

Some Israeli leaders have suggested the country should adopt a “gas for peace” strategy, offering its energy resources to neighbors at discounted prices to cement peace ties.

By REUTERS
 

TEL AVIV – Israel’s newfound natural gas reserves will boost its regional clout and could help it improve ties with neighboring states in need of new energy sources, Energy Minister Silvan Shalom said.

Tamar natural gas rig.

Tamar natural gas rig. – Photo: Albatross

Once totally dependent on fuel imports, Israel has made the largest gas discoveries in the world over the past decade off its Mediterranean coastline, and is expected to become an exporter by the end of the decade.

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Category: Innovations & Discoveries | Tags: , , ,
| May 16, 2013
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NEW FIND: Natural Gas found at Karish reservoir

Energy Minister Shalom praises Delek Group’s announcement of significant gas presence from the Karish 1 dill-rig.

By SHARON UDASIN
 

 

 

A new and potentially robust “shark” may be floating in the Mediterranean’s eastern waters.

A significant gas presence on Wednesday evening was reported from the Karish 1 well (shark in English), located about 75 kilometers northwest of Haifa, said The Delek Group, an Israelbased conglomerate and gas provider.

A natural gas rig west of Haifa, Israel. - Photo: Albatross Aerial Perspective/AP

Tamar natural gas rig west of Haifa, Israel. – Photo: Albatross Aerial Perspective/AP

While official analyses of the drilling results will be conducted by Netherland, Sewell – Oil & Gas Engineering Consulting Services (NSAI) and published within the next two months, the Delek Group and its partners are stressing that there is likely a sizable gas presence in the well, which is located within the Alon C basin.

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Category: Innovations & Discoveries, Israel News | Tags: , ,
| April 18, 2013
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Bank of Israel tested in new battle to tame Shekel

Central bank may intervene to weaken the Israeli Shekel since lowering its benchmark interest rate, now at 1.75%, could further inflame housing prices, which have rallied 50% in past 4 years.

Reuters

After standing by for months, the Bank of Israel has finally run out of patience and could face a lengthy battle to rein in the shekel as Japan’s massive stimulus drives funds into emerging markets.

Israeli shekel. - Photo Shutterstock

Israeli shekel. Gained more than 5% over past four months, posing risk to exports – Photo: Shutterstock

The shekel has gained more than 5% over the past four months against the dollar and the euro, posing a risk to Israel’s exports which account for 40% of economic activity. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
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