HOUSTON, June 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NBL) today announced the execution of a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) between the Leviathan field partners and BG International Limited (BG) for the supply of natural gas from the Leviathan field, offshore Israel, to BG's existing natural gas liquefaction (LNG) facilities in Egypt. The LOI contemplates a total gross sales quantity of up to 3.75 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas over a 15-year period, or the equivalent of approximately 700 million cubic feet per day over the term. Delivery of the natural gas to BG is expected at the outlet of the Leviathan floating, production, storage, and offloading vessel, with planned connection to the LNG facilities by way of subsea pipeline.
Keith Elliott, Noble Energy's Senior Vice President, Eastern Mediterranean, commented, "The LOI for the export of natural gas from Leviathan is a very positive development for the project and continues to evidence the strong demand for our discovered resources. Phase 1 of the Leviathan project is designed to provide significant quantities of natural gas to Israel and regional markets. This transaction, in combination with regional cooperation, will also provide access for Eastern Mediterranean gas into global markets. Negotiations with other potential customers for Leviathan natural gas are progressing, and I anticipate additional agreements to be executed this year in support of the development of the first phase of Leviathan."
A final gas purchase and sales agreement is to be negotiated and will be subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals in Israel and Egypt.
Noble Energy operates Leviathan with a 39.66 percent working interest. Other interest owners are Delek Drilling with 22.67 percent, Avner Oil Exploration with 22.67 percent, and Ratio Oil Exploration (1992) Limited Partnership with the remaining 15 percent. The Leviathan field has an estimated 19 Tcf of discovered natural gas resources.
Noble Energy is a leading independent energy company engaged in worldwide oil and natural gas exploration and production. The Company has core operations onshore in the U.S., primarily in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale, in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, offshore Eastern Mediterranean, and offshore West Africa. Noble Energy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded under the ticker symbol NBL. Further information is available at www.nobleenergyinc.com.
This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities law. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "intends," "will," "should," "may," and similar expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and reflect Noble Energy' s current views about future events. They include estimates of oil and natural gas reserves and resources, estimates of future production, assumptions regarding future oil and natural gas pricing, planned drilling activity, future results of operations, projected cash flow and liquidity, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations. No assurances can be given that the forward-looking statements contained in this news release will occur as projected, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks include, without limitation, the volatility in commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas, the presence or recoverability of estimated reserves, the ability to replace reserves, environmental risks, drilling and operating risks, exploration and development risks, competition, government regulation or other actions, the ability of management to execute its plans to meet its goals and other risks inherent in Noble Energy's business that are discussed in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are also available from Noble Energy's offices or website, http://www.nobleenergyinc.com. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made. Noble Energy does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.
The Securities and Exchange Commission requires oil and gas companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose proved reserves that a company has demonstrated by actual production or conclusive formation tests to be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating conditions. The SEC permits the optional disclosure of probable and possible reserves, however, we have not disclosed the Company's probable and possible reserves in our filings with the SEC. We use certain terms in this news release, such as "discovered natural gas resources," which are by their nature more speculative than estimates of proved, probable and possible reserves and accordingly are subject to substantially greater risk of being actually realized. The SEC guidelines strictly prohibit us from including these estimates in filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosures and risk factors in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the SEC, available from Noble Energy's offices or website, http://www.nobleenergyinc.com.
SOURCE Noble Energy