Minister Steinitz: A Historic Day for the State of Israel – Gas flow from Leviathan to the transmission system has started

Minister of Energy, Dr. Yuval Steinitz in NATGAS's control room

Steinitz, from the NATGAS control room: Day for celebration in Israel: The completion of the Leviathan development, approximately ten years after it was discovered and about four years after I formulated the gas outline, is a macroeconomic and geopolitical event, and its significance is hard to overstate. The development of Leviathan will allow Israeli citizens to earn tens of billions of dollars in the next 25 years, ending the use of coal that pollutes the air and damages their health, leading to the closing of the coal stations in Hadera and Ashkelon, and to strengthen the peace axis by exporting gas surpluses to Egypt and Jordan and within a few years to Europe as well. The vested interest of nine million Israeli citizens in clean energy, breathing clean air, enjoying profits and reducing electricity prices – outweighed all populist objections to the gas outline and gas rig. Shehecheyanu vehigi'anu lazman hazeh (who has granted us life and enabled us to reach this occasion).

Today (31.12.19) at 16:00 natural gas started to flow from Leviathan reservoir to NATGAS's transmission system and from there to all consumers.

Leviathan reservoir, which was discovered in 2010, contains about 500 BCM and is located in the depths of Israel's economic water, about 120 km offshore. The reservoir production pipeline spans hundreds of miles, and production is conducted from 4 production wells.

Connection of Leviathan reservoir gives the Israeli energy economy a much-needed redundancy in natural gas supplies, allows natural gas to be exported to neighboring countries and enhances competition in the economy. It joins the Tamar reservoir that has been supplying natural gas to the economy since 2013. This is a key stage in the implementation of the gas outline led by Energy Minister Dr. Yuval Steinitz.

The Ministry of Energy encourages transition to using natural gas in the industry as a major source of energy, as part of the goals of the energy sector for 2030. Natural gas offers many benefits to the consumer and the economy, including reducing electricity production costs as well as reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Minister of Energy, Dr. Yuval Steinitz in NATGAS's control room

In the photograph, from left to right:

Minister of Energy, Dr. Yuval Steinitz

NATGAS Chairman, Eitan Padan

Ministry of Energy Director General, Udi Adiri

Minister's Chief of Staff Mor Halutz

NATGAS Director Shmuel Turgeman

Acting Director of the Natural Gas Authority at the Ministry of Energy, Moshe Grazie.