The Environmental Protection Ministry has green-lighted the Leviathan offshore natural gas field's operation, allowing it to finally go online on Tuesday morning.
Leviathan, discovered in 2010 roughly 130 kilometers (81 miles) west of Haifa, holds an estimated 22 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The field was the world's largest offshore discovery of the past decade.
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The Environmental Protection Ministry said that Texas-based Noble Energy, which operates Leviathan, was given the go-ahead after a review of its operations found it has held up to all required conditions.
Noble Energy's CEO David Stover issued a statement saying, "This is a historic day for Noble Energy and our partners. The safe and successful execution of the initial phase of development has been world-class, continuing our exceptional track record in major project delivery. Noble is proud of the benefits our discoveries have brought and will bring to the region."
Residents who live close to the beach oppose the rig's operations, saying it will significantly increase air pollution along the nearby coastline.
Both the Environmental Protection Ministry and Nobel Energy stressed that "activities carried out on the platform do not impact routine life."
Leviathan gas exports to neighboring countries are expected to begin in the coming weeks.
