Move is designed to pressure Greek Cypriot government to accept a cooperation proposal by Turkish Cypriots.
Israel’s energy ministry said the new activity will help position the country as a regional energy hub. But the results were not much of a rebound from a disappointing round two years earlier when, again, just two groups placed bids.
A second Turkish drillship will begin drilling for oil and natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean within a week, Turkey's energy minister said, in a move which that could strain ties with Cyprus over jurisdiction rights for exploration.
Delek Drilling and its partner Noble Energy signed a landmark deal early last year to export $15 billion in natural gas from Israeli offshore fields Tamar and Leviathan to a customer in Egypt.
The companies, in consortium with Hellenic Petroleum, have an eight-year research and exploitation license in two offshore blocks lying south and southwest of Crete.
Delek Drilling said the Israeli state utility will buy about 4 billion cubic meters of gas from Leviathan, from the time it begins operation around Oct. 1, 2019, until June 30, 2021, or until the Karish Field comes online, whichever happens first.
The dispute has led to years of brinkmanship with both sides promising to protect their resources and warning about encroachment.
Lightweight fire protection tiles are combined with corrosion protection and anti-fatigue support.
These 25 offshore key players are increasing production and efficiencies.
About 3.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent in conventional resources were discovered in first-quarter 2019, analysts say.