The Israeli government has chalked up an early success in its road show for its liquid natural gas (LNG) import and distribution preliminary tender, due to be published in the first quarter of 2009. 20 international energy companies attended a conference with the Ministries of Finance and National Infrastructures in Houston last week.
Sources inform ''Globes'' that participants included representatives of ExxonMobil Inc. (NYSE: XON), Chevron Inc. (NYSE: CVX), Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL) (which is a shareholder in Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG) natural gas company Yam Tethys), Gaz de France SA (Euronext: GAZ), Total SA (NYSE; Euronext: TOT), and Italy's ENI SpA (NYSE: E; Milan: ENI). The Israeli officials also intend to meet representatives of BG Group plc (NYSE: BRG; LSE: BG) and Russia's Gazprom.
Among Israeli fuel companies, only Delek Group subsidiary Delek Energy Systems Ltd. (TASE: DEOL), which owns 53% of Yam Tethys, was present at the Houston meeting. Delek Energy has already begun a feasibility study to convert its natural gas storage facility near Ashkelon for the storage of imported LNG.
If the study shows the conversion to be feasible, Yam Tethys would get an edge in the tender. Delek Energy CEO Gideon Tadmor said that Yam Tethys already has the infrastructure in place to provide the fastest and most efficient means for importing and storing LNG at its terminal.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 14, 2008
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