Israel over the weekend welcomed the arrival of a new natural gas processing rig, which sailed into the Karish field off the country's northern shores. The floating production storage and offloading rig, described by industry insiders as a "boost" to local natural gas production, is operated by Greek energy firm Energean.
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Discovered in 2013, Karish ("Shark") is located near the much larger Leviathan and Tamar gas fields in Israel's economic waters in the Mediterranean. Karish and Tanin ("Crocodile"), discovered soon after the former, are estimated to hold a combined 2–3 trillion cubic feet of gas. Energean acquired both fields from Delek Drilling and Avner in December 2016.
"I am pleased to confirm that Energean Power, the floating rig of Energean, arrived safely in Israel this morning," Energean CEO Matthews Riggs said in a statement.
"This is a very significant milestone for the first gas extraction from the Shark Reservoir, expected in the third quarter of this year. Our flagship project will provide energy security to Israel and the region.
"This milestone joins Energian's recent discoveries in the Olympus region, which will form a significant basis for the company's continued growth and the development of the local and regional energy economy," he said.
Lebanon, which has an ongoing dispute with Israel over economic waters, was quick to condemn the move.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun warned Israel against drilling in Karish. A statement released by his office on Sunday said he "discussed the matter with Prime Minister Najib Mikati and asked army leadership to keep him appraised on the matter.
"Any action or activity in the disputed area represents a provocation and a hostile act," the statement said.
According to local media reports, Mikati accused Israel of "encroaching on Lebanon's maritime wealth, and imposing a fait accompli in a disputed area."
The Israeli move "is extremely dangerous," he warned.
The US has been mediating talks between Israel and Lebanon – formally still at war after decades of conflict – over the maritime border dispute. Disagreement over the sea border had discouraged oil and gas exploration near the disputed line, which for Lebanon – currently facing the most dire economic crisis in its history – finding commercial reserves in its own waters would be a game-changer.
"The decision about a response [to the ship's entry] is in the hands of the state and Hezbollah," Bassam Yasin, the head of the Lebanese delegation to the negotiations, said over the weekend.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has in the past expressed fierce opposition to the US-mediated talks. The Iranian-backed Shiite terrorist group has warned Israel against unilaterally holding gas exploration efforts in the disputed maritime region.
Kan 11 News reported Sunday that the Israeli Navy was bracing for a potential Hezbollah attack against the new rig in Karish. Navy vessels, including submarines, were deployed to the area to protect it, the report said, adding that the naval version of the Iron Dome missile defense system was also slated for deployment in the area.
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