Egyptian, Israeli ministers mull boosting energy cooperation – Al Ahram
The ministers reaffirmed their support for the establishment of a coherent and strong energy infrastructure in the East Mediterranean to maximise the region’s natural gas resources and reserves
Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El-Molla and Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz discussed on Sunday ways of boosting cooperation to maintain the energy security of both countries.
The ministers agreed to prepare an agreement aiming to link the Leviathan gas field with Egypt’s liquefying natural gas units through marine pipelines, the petroleum ministry said in a statement.
They reaffirmed their support for the establishment of a coherent and strong energy infrastructure in the Eastern Mediterranean to maximise the region’s natural gas resources and reserves, it added.
The two ministers also stressed the importance of contributing to the 2030 goals of the United Nations and the Global Climate Agreement to reduce harmful emissions by 2050.
They also discussed ways to increase Palestinians’ energy independence, including developing a Gaza marine field, the establishment of a power plant in Jenin, and supplying natural gas to the Palestinians.
This is the first visit for an Egyptian minister to Israel since 2016.
Earlier on Sunday, El-Molla headed to Ramallah and Jerusalem to have talks with his counterparts over the East Mediterranean Gas Forum, the petroleum ministry said.
According to the statement issued by the ministry, El-Molla met and held talks with Mohamed Mustafa, the adviser to the Palestinian President for economic affairs in Ramallah, and Steinitz in Jerusalem to support the goals and efforts of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum.
“The visit aims to crystalise a common vision and a systematic dialogue to develop a regional market, as the forum’s charter [comes into effect] in a way that supports the member states’ efforts to invest their gas reserves and use the existing and future infrastructure through fruitful and constructive cooperation,” the statement read.
The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum’s founding countries include Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Jordan, and Italy.
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Israel to link Leviathan gas field to Egyptian LNG plants, says Steinitz – Jerusalem Post
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said ahead of his meeting with Molla that Israel and Egypt have become an “energy hub.”
Israel and Egypt continued to expand their cooperation on natural-gas issues on Sunday, as Egyptian Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Tarek El Molla visited Jerusalem for the first time.
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz and Molla agreed to work toward an agreement between their countries to connect Israel’s Leviathan gas field to facilities owned by the Egyptian Liquefied Natural Gas company via an offshore pipeline. The agreement would make it easier for Israel to export liquefied gas to Europe, via the Egyptian plants.
Steinitz said he was “happy and excited” to host Molla, the first Egyptian minister to visit Israel since 2016. Molla is his good friend, and he has “wonderful relations” with him, he said.“
We established the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, which unites Arab countries with the State of Israel, and I thank Minister El Molla for leading the forum,” Steinitz said. “This is a historic visit, and I feel lucky to host the minister and his staff in Israel.”
The Israeli and Egyptian energy ministers were the founders of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum.
Along with Israel exporting natural gas to Egypt for the past year, this marks the most significant economic cooperation between the countries since peace agreements were signed between them almost 42 years ago, Steinitz said.
They also discussed ways to increase the Palestinians’ energy independence, including developing a Gaza marine field, the establishment of a power plant in Jenin and supplying natural gas to the Palestinians.
“Together with Minister Steinitz, we started together a few years back the expansion of the cooperation in energy, which was enhanced by the foundation of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum,” Molla said.
Israel and Egypt have become an “energy hub,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said ahead of his meeting with Molla.“
Together we can supply not only our own needs but the needs of many other countries,” he said. “So it is in this spirit of friendship and cooperation and peace and prosperity that I welcome you to Israel.”
Egypt was the first Arab country to make peace with Israel, and the addition of four more countries in the past year “is becoming something that can better the lives of all the people in economic terms, and we think that this is a great opportunity for regional cooperation – Egypt, Israel and the other countries,” Netanyahu said.
Egypt is a strategic partner for Israel, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said. He praised the growing cooperation on energy and natural gas matters.
“I hope that your visit will open the door to visits and cooperation in other areas,” Ashkenazi told Molla.
Israel’s development of its natural-gas resources in the past decade has been a boon to its diplomatic standing, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean, bolstering ties with Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and other countries in the region.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/egyptian-energy-minister-in-israel-to-talk-gas-cooperation-659690
Israel to link Leviathan gas field to Egypt LNG plants, minister says – YNET
As both countries seek new ways to expand the development of east Mediterranean natural gas, governments were moving ahead with the pipeline plan and were working on a formal agreement
Reuters | Published: 02.21.21 , 18:37 The Israeli and Egyptian energy ministers have agreed to build a pipeline to connect Israel’s offshore Leviathan natural gas field to liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in northern Egypt, the Israeli minister said on Sunday.
Yuval Steinitz hosted a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Tarek El Molla, as both countries look for new ways to expand the development of east Mediterranean natural gas.
(Photo: AFP)
Molla’s arrival in Israel was the first by an Egyptian minister in over five years. The Leviathan field, located 130 km (80 miles) off Israel’s coast, already supplies the Israeli domestic market and exports gas to Jordan and Egypt. Its shareholders include Chevron and Delek Drilling.Leviathan’s partners have been exploring options to expand the project, including a floating LNG facility or a subsea pipeline to link up with LNG terminals in Egypt that have been idled or run at less than their potential capacity.
Steinitz said the two governments were moving ahead with the pipeline plan and were working on a formal agreement.”
The two ministers agreed on the construction of (an) offshore gas pipeline from the Leviathan gas field to the liquefaction facilities in Egypt, in order to increase the gas exports to Europe through the liquefaction facilities in Egypt,” Steinitz’s office said in a statement.
(Photo: GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said ahead of his meeting with Molla that Israel and Egypt have become an “energy hub.”
“Together we can supply not only our own needs but the needs of many other countries,” he said. “So it is in this spirit of friendship and cooperation and peace and prosperity that I welcome you to Israel.”
Molla signed a memorandum of understanding for Egypt to help develop the Gaza Marine field with the project’s two partners, the Palestine Investment Fund, the sovereign fund of the Palestinian Authority, and Consolidated Contractors Company.Gaza Marine sits about 30 km (19 miles) off the Palestinian enclave’s coast and is estimated to hold over 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.