UAE's Mubadala in talks to buy $1.1 billion stake in Israeli gas field
JERUSALEM -Delek Drilling said on Monday it has signed a non-binding deal to sell its stake in the east Mediterranean natural gas field Tamar to Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Petroleum for $1.1 billion.
The deal, if finalised, would be among the most significant
developments since Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed to normalise ties
last year.
The Tamar gas field is one of Israel’s primary energy
sources and is able to produce 11 billion cubic meters of gas each year. That
is enough to cover much of the Israeli market as well as exports to Egypt and
Jordan.
Delek Drilling, a unit of conglomerate Delek Group, holds a
22% stake in the field, which is operated by Chevron.
Delek Drilling CEO Yossi Abu said the deal potentially marks
a “strategic alignment in the Middle East, whereby natural gas becomes a source
of collaboration in the region”.
The aim was to try to complete the deal, which would require
Israeli government approval, by the end of May, Delek said.
Mubadala Petroleum, a unit of Abu Dhabi government-owned
Mubadala Investment Company, said the “proposed transaction is in line with our
strategy of seeking high quality ... investments that strengthen our gas-biased
portfolio in line with our energy transition targets”.
Delek also holds a major stake in the even larger Leviathan
gas field nearby and is selling its Tamar holdings to comply with government
moves to open the market to more competition.
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