Uchenna Izundu
International Editor
LONDON, Feb. 12 -- Israel's Minister of National Infrastructure Binyamin Ben-Eliezer met in Moscow recently with OAO Gazprom Chief Executive Alexey Miller to discuss the possible delivery of Russian natural gas to Israel.
According to local reports, Israel wants to secure 2-5 billion cu m/year of gas, which would be delivered via a new pipeline link from Turkey beginning in 2011.
Ben-Eliezer told Interfax News Agency that Israel and Turkey were interested in constructing a 610-km pipeline across the Mediterranean from the Turkish port of Ceyhan to Ashkelon, Israel. Estimated cost of the project exceeds $2 billion.
Gazprom said the parties also discussed engineering and construction of the gas network and cooperation in power, gas storage, and processing.
Because of increased electric power generation projects in Israel, gas demand in the country is expected to average 8 billion cu m/year by 2010, a significant increase. Israel relies primarily on imported oil, which is proving very costly.
Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected].