Israel has made a decision to shut down the Tamar gas field, located in the Mediterranean Sea. This has raised concerns about the continuity of gas supplies to Europe. Safety concerns, intensified by ongoing conflicts with Hamas, forced the closure of the key offshore field, resulting in a 20% decline in Israel’s gas shipments to Egypt. This disruption has subsequently jeopardized onward deliveries to European buyers, particularly concerning during the winter heating season.
Egypt, a major recipient of Israeli gas, has witnessed a drastic reduction in imports, receiving approximately 650 million cubic feet per day. Officials, preferring anonymity, stated that Egypt is evaluating the implications of this shutdown on its liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plans, especially considering a recent cargo shipment to Europe, according to Energy Voice.
The Tamar field, managed by Chevron Corp., and the larger Leviathan field are vital to Israel’s domestic needs and regional exports to neighboring countries such as Jordan and Egypt. The abrupt halt at Tamar has immediate implications for Israel’s ambition to be a prominent regional gas supplier, potentially undermining plans for expansion and partnerships.
The exact duration of the Tamar field outage remains unknown, leaving industry experts and analysts, like Leo Kabouche from Energy Aspects Ltd., speculating about the potential consequences. If Leviathan continues normal operations and output is increased at the Karish field, gas flow to Egypt might resume. However, the situation remains fluid, impacting Egypt’s domestic gas production and LNG exports.
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