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Syria’s plans to become regional gas hub fall short

1 June — In the context of the past few years, Syria has enjoyed a dramatic surge in gas output in the past 18 months. Between 1999 and 2009, gas production fluctuated between 5.0 and 6.4 bcm/y, but according to an announcement in January 2011 by the government-run Syrian Arab News Agency, production hit 10.1 bcm in 2010, a 74% increase year on year. The Syrian energy ministry expects production to increase to more than 13 bcm in 2011.

Demand has risen dramatically, too. According to forecasts from the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies (OIES), Syrian gas demand is set to increase from 6 bcm in 2008 to 16 bcm in 2015, outstripping supply by an estimated 3 bcm.

The bulk of the demand will come from an increased call for electricity generation. The Syrian energy ministry has stated that local electricity demand will double by 2025 and triple by 2030, from 44.5 million kilowatt-hours in 2009. According to the World Bank, Syria will need to add a total of 7,000MW of new capacity by 2020 to keep pace with demand growth of 7% a year…

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Israel still awaiting Egyptian gas

3 June — Talks to resume gas exports from Egypt to Israel through the East Mediterranean Gas Pipeline are continuing, almost two months after an explosion shut the pipeline down.

A gas valve station on the Egyptian side of…

Israel’s Premium Holdings may buy stake in Leviathan shareholder

2 June — Israeli investment company Premium Holdings is looking into options to buy a 15% stake in Ratio Oil Exploration, which owns 15% of the giant Leviathan gas field off Israel’s Mediterranean coast.

Premium said in a statement to the…

Iraq demands Shell gas deal be completed

1 June — The Iraqi government warned energy giant Royal Dutch Shell it must finalise a $12 billion gas gathering deal by next week or negotiations over the agreement would be terminated, Ahmed al-Shamma, the country’s deputy oil minister, said…

Total buys 25% of Qatari hydrocarbon exploration licence from CNOOC

31 May — China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), China’s leading offshore oil producer, sold a 25% stake in a licence to explore for hydrocarbons in Qatar to France’s Total, on 29 May.

The state-owned oil and gas producer…

Israel instructs Noble Energy not to resume drilling at Leviathan gas field

31 May — Noble Energy cannot restart drilling operations at the Leviathan natural gas field, offshore Israel, until it provides details of an early fault at the field, Israel’s infrastructure ministry said on 29 May.

US-based Noble Energy announced…

Iraq and EU sign partnership to import gas into Europe

27 May — Iraq has committed to the long-term export of gas into Europe as part of an “enhanced strategic energy partnership”, signed in Brussels on 26 May.

The deal, signed by EU energy commissioner Günther Oettinger and Iraq’s Deputy Prime…