Gas output from the Leviathan reservoir off Israel is set to rise after operator Chevron and its partners took a final investment decision to enlarge the offshore production facilities.
Under the approved expansion plan, three additional wells will be drilled offshore, new subsea infrastructure will be installed and processing units on the Leviathan platform will be upgraded. These measures are intended to increase combined gas deliveries from the reservoir to Israel and neighbouring markets to around 21 bcm per year, with the extra capacity scheduled to be available towards the end of the decade.
Jack Baker, managing director for Chevron’s Eastern Mediterranean region, said the investment demonstrates the company’s confidence in the region’s energy outlook. He noted that energy policies in the US and the wider region are supporting energy security in the Eastern Mediterranean and creating conditions that attract investment in the Middle East and globally.
The fixed installation handling Leviathan production stands about 10 km from Dor on Israel’s Mediterranean coastline. Equity in the project is split between operator Chevron, holding 39.66%, NewMed Energy with 45.34% and Ratio Energies with 15%.
In the wider Eastern Mediterranean portfolio, Chevron also operates the Tamar gas field offshore Israel and is advancing the Aphrodite gas development offshore Cyprus. The company is operator of two exploration blocks in Egypt and holds a non-operated interest in one additional exploration block in the country.
