US major Chevron has been forced to shut down the platform linking its 10.5tcf Tamar gas field to the Israeli shore after it was allegedly targeted by Hamas, which has also struck oil storage facilities at Ashkelon.

Whilst the Tamar field itself is located in the deepwater off northern Israel, the field’s production platform makes use of facilities at the depleted Mari-B field just 25km northwest from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip (see map). Despite Israel’s sophisticated defence system, authorities have been spooked by the sheer volume of projectiles making their way through the ‘Iron Dome’ and have subsequently ordered Chevron to temporarily shut-in output from the field. (CONTINUED - 868 WORDS)