Aphrodite gas field

Aphrodite Gas Field
Aphrodite gas field is located in Eastern Mediterranean
Aphrodite gas field
Location of Aphrodite Gas Field
CountryCyprus
RegionEastern Mediterranean
Offshore/onshoreoffshore
Coordinates33°5′40″N 32°59′0″E / 33.09444°N 32.98333°E / 33.09444; 32.98333[1]
OperatorsChevron Corporation[2] Delek Drilling, Shell Oil Company[3]
Field history
Discoveryannounced on 28 December 2011[4]
Production
Estimated gas in place7,000×10^9 cu ft (200×10^9 m3)
Producing formationsTamar sands

Aphrodite gas field is an offshore gas field off the southern coast of Cyprus located at the exploratory drilling block 12 in the country's maritime Exclusive Economic Zone and bordering the Yishai gas field, located in Israeli territorial waters.[5] Located 34 kilometres (21 mi) west of Israel's Leviathan gas field, block 12 is believed to hold 3.6 to 6 trillion cubic feet (100×10^9 to 170×10^9 m3) of natural gas.[6][7] In 2014, the reserve estimate for the quantity of natural gas held by Aphrodite was raised by 12% due to new data received from the Yishai prospect as reported by Delek Drilling to the Israel Securities Authority. [8] [9] The cost of the field's development was estimated to range from $2.5 billion to $3.5 billion. [10]

Noble Energy received the concession to explore block 12 in October 2008.[11] In August 2011, Noble entered into a production-sharing agreement with the Cypriot government regarding the block's commercial development.[12] Sources in Cyprus indicated in mid-September that Noble had commenced exploratory drilling of the block.[13] The drilling, which took 116 days to complete, resulted in the finding of gas in high-quality Miocene sand intervals at the Aphrodite field.[14]

In 2015, Noble Energy, Delek Drilling, and Avner Oil Exploration filed a Declaration of Commerciality of the field to be followed by a development and production plan. Noble Energy sold a 35% stake of Block 12, which includes Aphrodite, to BG for $165 million.[15]

On May 7, 2023, in a first for the Aphrodite field, partners including Chevron Corporation and Shell plc began drilling an appraisal well. Drilling for natural gas in Aphrodite is expected at the earliest in 2027.[16]

  1. ^ Ali, Jaber (15 July 2011). "Lebanese Cabinet discusses offshore energy policies". Middle East Confidential. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  2. ^ "Noble Energy To Drill Offshore Cyprus After October 2011 Under PSC Terms". Zawya. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Aphrodite Gas Field". offshore-technology. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Noble Energy Announces Significant Natural Gas Discovery Offshore Republic of Cyprus". PR Newswire. 28 December 2011.
  5. ^ "Cyprus, Israel seek gas-sharing formula to unlock East Med energy hub". Reuters (in German). 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2020-03-09.[dead link]
  6. ^ "Offshore field holds estimated 5 Tcf of natural gas". Cyprus Gas News. 4 October 2013. Archived from the original on 5 October 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2014.
  7. ^ Hadjicostis, Menelaos (15 November 2011). "US firm: 3-9 trillion cubic feet of gas off Cyprus". Yahoo! News. Nicosia, Cyprus. Associated Press. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  8. ^ "Aphrodite Gas Field Reserve Estimate Raised by 12%". www.goldnews.com.cy. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  9. ^ TASE. "דף הבית - מאיה – מערכת אינטרנט להודעות | הבורסה לניירות ערך". מאיה (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  10. ^ Benmeleh, Yaacov (March 21, 2018). "Shell Mulls 15-Year Deal for Israeli, Cypriot Gas, Partner Says". Bloomberg News.
  11. ^ Kennedy, Charles (24 June 2011). "U.S. Company to Begin Drilling in Cyprus Offshore Waters by Year End". OilPrice.com. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  12. ^ Ament, Carol (19 August 2011). "Full speed ahead for Cyprus drilling". Famagusta Gazette. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  13. ^ Menelaos Hadjicostis; Suzan Fraser (19 September 2011). "Cyprus Drills Offshore Despite Turkish Warning". ABC News. Nicosia. Associated Press. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  14. ^ sigmalive. "Aphrodite field declared commercial: Minister of Energy | News". www.sigmalive.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  15. ^ "BG partners with Noble, Delek in Cyprus's Aphrodite - Globes". en.globes.co.il (in Hebrew). 2015-11-23. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  16. ^ Wrobel, Sharon. "Israel's NewMed Energy and partners begin drilling at Aphrodite gas field off Cyprus". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-05-09.