Israel’s Energy Ministry announced on 24 September that it closed bidding for its third offshore bid round, receiving two bids for the one block (Block 72) put on offer in June (MEES,26 June).

The bidders were US firm Noble Energy, which is in the process of being taken over by compatriot Chevron (MEES, 24 July) with habitual Israeli partner Delek, and Greek firm Energean. Noble and Delek held the previous, largely coterminous, Alon D license and reckon Energean’s Karish North discovery extends into the acreage (MEES, 3 July). (CONTINUED - 128 WORDS)