Lebanese officials have cautioned the Israeli government and operator Noble Energy not to encroach on Lebanese territory in the wake of a potentially large natural gas discovery made offshore Israel, according to local press reports. Lebanon said it was looking into whether Noble Energy's Tamar-1 gas discovery offshore Israel extended into Lebanese waters. Earlier this week, a Noble Energy-operated JV discovered gas with the Tamar-1 well, drilled on the Matan licence in the Levantine basin. Noble commented that early indications are that the resources identified are very substantial, at least equal to the pre-drill estimated gross mean resources of over three trillion cubic feet.

Lebanese authorities said it was not clear whether the basin fell only under Israel's waters. 'Noble Energy's find proves that the (Lebanese) shore is rich in gas and that there is a possibility that we have a common basin, between Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian territories,' Mohammed Kabbani, who heads a parliamentary committee which overseas energy issues, told Reuters. 'If that basin extends to Lebanese waters, then we want to warn this company from infringing on our rights,' Kabbani said, adding the parliamentary committee had requested the government take action.

Energy Minister Alain Tabourian said Lebanon was in the process of registering with the United Nations the delineation of the country's exclusive economic zone waters to determine whether the gas find fell within it. 'Even if this basin is not common, there may be other common basins and we want to protect our rights,' Kabbani said.

However, Delek Drilling, one of Noble's partners in the gas discovery, denied the possibility that the discovery was within Lebanon's territorial waters. 'An examination made with the Petroleum Commissioner showed that these claims are not correct and the location of the licence where Tamar-1 is being drilled was studied carefully and it was found that the entire area of the licence was within territorial waters of the state of Israel,' it said in a statement.

The Tamar-1 well, located in approx. 5,500 feet of water, was drilled to a total depth of 16,076 feet to test a subsalt, lower-Miocene structure in the Levantine basin. Formation logs identified more than 460 feet of net pay in three high-quality reservoirs. The thickness and quality of the reservoirs encountered were greater than anticipated at the well location. Production testing at Tamar will be performed after the well is completed. Noble Energy and its partners may keep the rig to drill up to two additional wells in the basin. Pending positive test results, one well could be an appraisal at Tamar. In addition, the partners are considering drilling a second subsalt, lower Miocene prospect.

Noble Energy operates the Tamar-1 well with a 36% working interest. Other interest owners in the well are Isramco Negev 2 with 28.75%, Delek Drilling with 15.625%, Avner Oil Exploration with 15.625% and Dor Gas Exploration with the remaining 4%.

Source: energy-pedia