US major Chevron (35%op) and its partners at Cyprus’ Aphrodite license, UK major Shell (35%) and Israel’s NewMed Energy (30%), are looking to seal a financial deal over the coming months to buy out the four firms with stakes in the Ishai license on the Israeli side of the maritime border in a bid to move development forward. This follows Chevron last month tabling a field development plan that would see the 4.5tcf field tied back to Shell-operated facilities offshore Egypt (see map and MEES, 2 June).