Israel-Jordan joint gas pipeline starts operation in 2017

An Israeli-Jordanian pipeline will start supplying natural gas in 2017, the Globes financial daily reported on Thursday.

The pipeline is currently being constructed near the Dead Sea, and will transport natural gas from the Tamar gas field, a natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, 80 km west of Israel's northern shores.

The financial daily quoted Israel's Natural Gas Lines CEO Samuel Tordjman as saying that the pipeline will begin operation next year.

Another pipeline is set to be constructed around the Beit Shean area in northeast Israel, aimed to supply gas from Leviathan, another Mediterranean off-shore reservoir, to the Jordanian Electric Company.

Back in February of 2014, Texas-based Noble Energy, the Israeli conglomerates of Delek Drilling, Avner Oil Exploration, Isramco Negev and Dor Gas Exploration announced the gas deal for Jordanian customers at the then approximate cost of 500 million U.S. dollars.

According to the terms of the agreement, natural gas will be supplied from the Tamar gas field to Arab Potash and Jordan Bromine, both located near Amman, Jordan.

"The agreement is for an initial term of 15 years and a total gross quantity of approximately 66 billion cubic feet of natural gas," Noble Energy said.

The Tamar reservoir was discovered in 2009, containing approximately 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Leviathan, found in 2010, has estimated reserves of 16 trillion cubic feet.

Both Tamar and Leviathan reservoirs are controlled by the above-mentioned consortium led by Texas-based Noble Energy and Israel's based Delek group. Endit