Kerogen buys 50% stake in Energean Israel for $50m

Tamar
Tamar

Proceeds from the Greek fund's investment in Energean Israel will finance the acquisition and initial development planning.

Energean Oil & Gas has announce that Greek company Kerogen Capital is to invest an initial $50 million in Energean Israel, a subsidiary of Energean, ahead of the planned $1.3 billion development of the Karish and Tanin gas fields, offshore Israel. Kerogen’s investment is subject to approval by the Israeli government, after which Kerogen will own a 50% interest in Energean Israel with Energean holding the balance.

Energean Israel is the operator of and holds 100% of the Karish and Tanin leases, acquired from Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG) in December 2016, for a cash payment $40 million and $108.5 million in contingent payments.

Proceeds from Kerogen’s investment in Energean Israel will finance the acquisition and key workstreams to investment sanction including FEED studies and the Field Development Plan currently being prepared in cooperation with TechnipFMC. The fields contain at least 2.4 trillion cubic feet of gas contingent resources (NSAI report), and will be developed through an FPSO that will be the first to be installed and operated in the East Mediterranean. The gas produced from the fields will supply Israel’s growing domestic gas market, with first gas expected in 2020.

Energean Group chairman & CEO Mathios Rigas said, “We are delighted to welcome Kerogen to the Karish and Tanin project, planned to deliver gas to a rapidly growing market in 2020 for the benefit of Israeli domestic consumers and the economy. Energean has already commenced negotiations with potential gas consumers in Israel and is progressing rapidly the Field Development Plan that we expect to submit to the Israeli Government by May 2017 with an intention to FID the project by year end 2017.

He added, “We believe Israel is an attractive destination for energy investment offering exciting growth opportunities through the development of Karish and Tanin, as well as through the additional exploration potential in offshore Israel, all of which are underpinned by a supportive government policy and favorable financing environment.” Roy Franklin, Kerogen Executive Board Member, said, “Energean’s track record speaks for itself. The company has successfully redeveloped the Prinos complex in Greece, increasing reserves and production substantially. Kerogen intends to collaborate with Energean to deliver a successful development of the Karish and Tanin fields in Israel. This investment provides Kerogen with exposure to a large-scale, low break-even discovered gas resource located within an OECD country, which, as a near-term development, can benefit from today’s deflationary cost environment.”

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 15, 2017

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2017

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