Chevron restarts Tamar gas field following Israeli-Hamas truce

Chevron in a statement sent to NGW on May 21 confirmed the Israeli government consented to the restart of operations at the offshore Tamar natural gas field.

Conflict between the Palestinian group Hamas and Israeli forces that erupted in mid-May following simmering tensions over the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, one of Islam’s holiest religious sites, prompted the Israeli government to call for the closure of operations at Tamar on May 12.

A tenuous cease-fire agreement was brokered this week after 11 days of fighting. A spokesperson for Chevron told NGW that operating partners were instructed by the Israeli ministry of energy to restart operations at the Tamar field.

“Chevron’s top priority is the safety of our personnel, the communities in which we operate, the environment and our facilities,” the spokesperson said in response to emailed questions. “We remain focused on the safe and reliable supply of natural gas in compliance with the laws and regulations of the state of Israel.”

To avoid any regional supply concerns, Chevron, the operator, continued deliveries from the nearby Leviathan gas field in the Mediterranean Sea while Tamar was closed. A force majeure declaration was not issued for Tamar.

Tamar was brought on stream in 2013. Along with Leviathan, the gas fields are among the largest in the Mediterranean.

The partners in the Tamar project are Delek Drilling (22%), Chevron (25%), Isramco (28.75%), Tamar Petroleum (16.75%), Dor Gas (4%) and Everest (3.5%). Delek is obligated to unload its interest as part of a government effort to open the market up to more competition.

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