Cyprus

Exxon had precisely zero upstream interest in the Mediterranean and North Africa as recently as 2016. It last year bagged key deepwater exploration blocks off Cyprus and Mauritania; a Crete award looks imminent and it is eying Algeria and Egypt.

ExxonMobil plans to drill offshore Cyprus in Q3. Eni has a 1Q19 appraisal well lined up for January’s Calypso discovery. Drilling could prove crucial to Cyprus’ gas hopes.

Officially gas output from Eni’s 21.5tcf Zohr field offshore Egypt is slated for the Egyptian domestic market. But operator Eni...

Egypt’s two idle LNG export terminals at Idku (operated by Shell) and Damietta (Eni-led Union Fenosa) remain the best options...

Houston-based Noble Energy is on track for end-2019 start-up at Israel’s 22tcf Leviathan field and is close to agreeing a first gas sales deal from Cyprus’ 5tcf Aphrodite.

Egypt this week signed a “historic” gas sales deal with Israel and is in talks to import Cypriot gas as...

Eni’s Calypso Cyprus discovery could be bigger than Zohr. Complex geology means more drilling is needed. But CEO Claudio Descalzi says at a minimum the field will be a Zohr tie-in, with a stand-alone Cyprus LNG project a real possibility. This would also boost development prospects for the 2011 Aphrodite discovery.

Despite a sizable gas find offshore Cyprus and Lebanon finally awarding exploration blocks after years of delay, not all is well under the Eastern Med sun.

If rumors of a 6-8tcf discovery on Block 6 are confirmed, Eni will likely look to a tie-in with its Egyptian Zohr field.

Greek firm Energean this week contracted Sweden's Stena Drilling to spud three wells in Q1 2019 on its Karish field...