JERUSALEM, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Partners in Israel's Leviathan natural gas field have approved a major expansion project, which is expected to nearly double the field's annual output in its initial phase, according to a joint announcement on Friday.
The expansion, with a total investment estimated at 2.4 billion U.S. dollars, includes drilling three additional wells, upgrading processing facilities on the production platform, and constructing a third gas pipeline.
Under the first stage of the expansion, annual production capacity will rise from the current 12 billion cubic meters (BCM) to 21 BCM. Output may later increase to 23 BCM, subject to pipeline capacity, according to the joint announcement.
The Leviathan natural gas field, located in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel, has an estimated 635 BCM in recoverable gas. Its partners are Chevron Mediterranean Limited, a subsidiary of the U.S.-headquartered Chevron, as well as Israel's NewMed Energy and Ratio Energies.
On Dec. 17, 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had approved a gas deal worth 112 billion shekels (about 34.7 billion dollars) under which Israel will supply natural gas to Egypt, calling it "the largest gas deal in Israel's history."
In August 2025, Egyptian authorities clarified that the deal is an amendment to an earlier agreement in 2019, extending Israeli gas supply to Egypt until 2040. On Dec. 18, Egypt's State Information Service said the deal is strictly commercial and carries no political implications. ■
