Tamar (gas field)

Tamar (gas field)
Name	Tamar
Coordinates	32°51′N 33°07′E
Country	Israel
Region	Levantine Basin
Block	12
Discovery	2009
Start production	2013
Operators	Delek Drilling, Noble Energy
Recoverable est	10e12cuft

Tamar (gas field) is a large offshore natural gas field in the Levantine Basin of the Mediterranean Sea, located approximately 90 kilometers west of Haifa and 130 kilometers northwest of Ashkelon. Discovered in 2009 by a consortium led by Noble Energy and Delek Drilling, Tamar transformed Israel's energy landscape, enabling domestic gas supply and exports that involve partners such as BrightSource Energy, Chevron Corporation, and Eni. The field's development integrated technologies and standards from projects like Tarawa and Prelude FLNG, while attracting attention from regional actors including Egypt, Lebanon, Cyprus, and the European Union.

Overview and Discovery

Tamar was announced after appraisal drilling in the eastern Mediterranean by a joint venture composed of Noble Energy, Delek Group, Isramco Negev 2, Avner Oil Exploration, and Ratio Oil Exploration. The discovery followed seismic campaigns tied to companies such as CGG, Schlumberger, BGP, and PGS. The initial estimate of recoverable gas—derived using methods developed by Wood Mackenzie and IHS Markit—was about 8.4 to 10 trillion cubic feet, later revised by analysts at Rystad Energy and IHS CERA. The announcement prompted regulatory scrutiny from Israel Securities Authority and discussions in the Knesset regarding resource governance and licensing under the framework influenced by precedents from Norway Petroleum Directorate and United Kingdom Continental Shelf practice.

Geology and Reservoir Characteristics

The Tamar reservoir is part of the Levantine Basin, formed during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic rift evolution associated with the Mediterranean Ridge and Dead Sea Transform. The reservoir rock is high-quality sandstone of the Nubian Sandstone and inferred Jurassic to Cretaceous stratigraphy, with sealing by marl and shale intervals analogous to traps studied in the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Petrophysical evaluation used well logs, core analysis, and seismic inversion techniques pioneered in studies by ExxonMobil and BP. The field exhibits high porosity and permeability, with estimated pressures and temperatures consistent with deepwater analogues such as Mars (oilfield) and Zafiro. Reservoir modeling referenced software from Schneider Electric and Halliburton.

Development and Production Infrastructure

Development employed a central production platform and a subsea system tied to a nearshore processing terminal at Ashdod and the onshore Tamar Gas Processing Facility, built with engineering partners like TechnipFMC, Saipem, KBR, and Jacobs Engineering. The project used horizontal drilling, multiphase flow meters from Emerson, and subsea trees supplied by Aker Solutions. Gas transport utilized the Israel Natural Gas Lines (INGL) network and interconnectors related to discussions with Trans Adriatic Pipeline and EastMed Gas Pipeline proponents. Production startup in 2013 followed commissioning procedures similar to Chevron Gorgon and Sakhalin-2, with gas composition processing comparable to facilities in Egypt's Zohr development.

Ownership, Contracts and Economics

Ownership evolved through agreements among Noble Energy (Israel) Limited, Delek Drilling LP, Isramco Negev 2 LP, Avner Oil Exploration LP, and Ratio Oil Exploration LP. Commercial terms included a lease and royalty structure influenced by models from Petroleum Act 1998 jurisdictions and revenue sharing debates echoed in the Norwegian Petroleum Model. Offtake contracts were signed with major local consumers such as Enel, IEC (Israel Electric Corporation), Paz Oil Company, and export memoranda of understanding with Jordan and Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company. Financial closure featured project finance underwriters like ING Group, HSBC, and Deutsche Bank, with fiscal modeling informed by International Monetary Fund analyses. Legal disputes and regulatory hearings referenced precedents from Supreme Court of Israel rulings and arbitration cases resembling Shell v. Greenpeace disputes.

Environmental and Safety Considerations

Environmental assessment referenced international standards from the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers and International Maritime Organization guidelines, alongside local laws enforced by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (Israel). Baseline marine surveys consulted researchers from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, and University of Haifa and compared impacts observed at Leviathan (gas field) and Zohr gas field. Safety systems included emergency shutdowns, blowout preventers by National Oilwell Varco, and spill response preparedness coordinated with Israel Nature and Parks Authority and United Nations Environment Programme frameworks. Monitoring covered benthic habitats, migratory birds tracked by Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, and fisheries represented by associations like the World Wildlife Fund.

Regional and Strategic Importance

Tamar reshaped geopolitics in the eastern Mediterranean, influencing energy diplomacy among Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Cyprus, and the European Union, and drawing investment interest from United States Department of State and U.S. Department of Energy stakeholders. The field strengthened Israel's position in talks concerning the East Mediterranean Gas Forum and pipelines such as EastMed, while affecting negotiations over maritime boundaries with Lebanon mediated by the United Nations and influenced by case law from the International Court of Justice. Energy security debates referenced institutions including NATO partners and corporate actors like TotalEnergies and Shell plc that weigh strategic supply routes through the Suez Canal and alternatives such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals at Haifa Port and Aqaba.

Category:Natural gas fields of Israel