The start of natural gas deliveries from the Tamar field could be pushed back if there are delays in approving construction of a terminal on shore to receive the gas from the well, said Noble Energy chairman and CEO Charles Davidson at a press conference in Tel Aviv today.
In response, the campaign against the terminal said that it would petition the High Court of Justice for an injunction to block the terminal.
Davidson said, "It is clear that if the location of the terminal is changed, this will affect the project's timetable. The government is handling the matter, and it will decide on the best location." He added that building the terminal was the next important step in the development plan of the Tamar gas field, located 90 kilometers offshore west of Haifa.
Two sites at the Dor Beach south of Haifa are under consideration for the terminal. The National Planning and Building Commission is discussing the terminal, which is now in the environmental impact study stage.
Some ministries assert that the terminal plan should be expedited as quickly as possible so that deliveries of gas from Tamar can begin in 2012, in order to avoid a possible gas shortage as the Yam Tethys reservoir offshore from Ashdod becomes depleted.
Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL) has hired Adv. Moshe Shahal, a former Labor Party minister, to deal with local residents. Last week, Shahal met the mayors of Zichron Yaakov and Furadis and the head of the Hof Carmel Local Council to create a basis for cooperation.
Davidson said, "We will work closely with the community, and we invest a lot of time in this. Some of their concerns are justified, while others are based on incorrect information. We're not going to build a refinery or gas storage facility, and I hope their concerns will disappear once they understand this."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 2, 2010
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2010