Visit Likely to Flare Mediterranean Gas Dispute
News that the President of Cyprus plans to undertake a visit to a drilling rig on carrying out exploratory drilling for gas off the island's coast is likely to fuel rhetoric between Greek Cypriots and Turkey.
Dimitris Christofias will travel to Noble Energy's rig about 115 miles (185 kilometers) south of the island along other senior government officials, Cyprus officials said Sunday.
Noble estimated last week that the field inside Cyprus' exclusive economic zone might yield between 3 to 9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Cyprus said a formal estimate on the deposit's size will be made early next month when drilling is completed.
Cyprus government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou said the "symbolic" rig visit aims to underscore the island's sovereign right to search for oil and gas off its shores. Turkey disputes Cyprus’ activity within its exclusive economic zone.
Noble released an estimate of the gas potential of the Cyprus A prospect in the Cypriot Block 12 offshore concession last week.
The company estimates the possibility of geologic success at the prospect at 60 percent, and says it expects a gross mean resource range of 3 to 9 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas. Drilling is currently underway at the prospect.
In an interview with Kathimerini newspaper, Cypriot Commerce Minister Praxoulla Antoniadou that Cyprus has received approaches from numerous parties in respect of exploration and infrastructure opportunities related to the countries gas potential.
Israel has been supportive of Cyprus' position.
Israeli based Delek Energy has proposed a partnership with Cyprus to build a facility on the island to process and export gas found in Cypriot and Israeli waters. Delek forms part of a Noble Energy-led consortium that has met with success in exploration success offshore Israel.
Related Reading: How to Move Cyprus' Prospective Gas Bonanza