Noble Energy’s Israel natural gas business builds

May 28, 2007
Gas production from Mari-B field in the Mediterranean Sea off southern Israel averaged 103 MMcfd in the quarter ended Mar. 31 net to the 47% interest of project operator Noble Energy Inc., Houston, the company said in early May.

Gas production from Mari-B field in the Mediterranean Sea off southern Israel averaged 103 MMcfd in the quarter ended Mar. 31 net to the 47% interest of project operator Noble Energy Inc., Houston, the company said in early May.

Net output averaged 93 MMcfd in 2006, 40% higher than in 2005 and almost double that of start-up year 2004. Pipeline facilities under construction will enable delivery of gas by late 2007-early 2008 to two more power plants, a desalination plant, and a paper mill.

Gross gas production capacity climbed to 600 MMcfd from six wells in March with recompletion of the Mari-B No. 7 development well, boosting the well’s deliverability to 180-200 MMcfd. Holding the other interests in Mari-B are Avner Oil Exploration LP, Delek Drilling LP, and Delek Investments and Properties Ltd.

Meanwhile, Noble Energy secured a rig to drill the Tamar exploration well in late 2007 or early 2008. It is operator with 33% interest.

The location is on the Matan license 50 miles off northern Israel and 30 miles southeast of the nearest block in the first Cyprus licensing round (OGJ Online, Jan. 26, 2007).