The Israeli offshore gas project in the Mediterranean Sea, which was originally scheduled to start production in the first quarter of 2021 but delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, will produce through the Energean Power FPSO
The Karish gas field will produce through the Energean Power FPSO. (Credit: Energean plc)
Energean has been granted approval by the Israeli Ministry of National Infrastructures, Energy, and Water Resources for starting production at the offshore Karish gas field.
The permit to the startup of the gas field in the Mediterranean Sea was given by Minister of Energy Karine Elharrar just ahead of the signing of the maritime border agreement between Israel and Lebanon, reported Israeli news publication Globes.
On Twitter, Elharrar said that the Karish reservoir will greatly contribute to supplying the requirements of the domestic economy and meeting the country’s international obligations.
Karish will become the third gas field in Israel to be connected to the grid following the Tamar and Leviathan fields.
The approval for the start of production at the Karish gas field comes despite recent threats from Hezbollah.
According to the Israeli Ministry of National Infrastructures, Energy, and Water Resources, bringing the field on stream is mainly significant for the country’s neighbors.
The Ministry has been quoted by the publication as stating: “The new connection strengthens Israel as a major supplier of natural gas and will allow it to increase natural gas exports to Egypt and Jordan, and from there to other countries in Europe needing other gas sources due to the global energy crisis.
“This step helps Israel and countries like Egypt and Jordan reduce use of polluting fuels like coal and oil, and dramatically cuts air pollution.”
The Karish gas field will produce through the Energean Power floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, which arrived at the field in June 2022 from Singapore, where it was built.
The FPSO connects to the Karish reservoir and additional reservoirs in the region and will supply the Israeli market with as much as 50% of the domestic demand for natural gas.
The offshore gas project was originally slated to start production in Q1 2021 but was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Its final investment decision (FID) was taken by Energean in March 2018.