French Total quit Cyprus energy search after finding nothing - reports.

French Total quit Cyprus energy search after finding nothing - reports. (Famagusta).


The final decision of the French company will be taken and communicated to the Government next week, the paper adds.

THE French company Total are quitting their energy search after finding no evidence for the existence of natural gas in blocks 10 and 11 of the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone, according to local media.

Politis reports that the company is seriously contemplating withdrawing permanently from the Cypriot EEZ, whilst Sigmalive reports the French company spent millions of euros on surveys in the two blocks, but without success.

Energy Minister George Lakkotrypis said that Total had been in contact with the government since September regarding the situation.

Speaking on CyBC radio this morning, Lakkotrypis said the decision of the French company is not final and the situation will be clearer next week.

"The company informed us some months ago that it was having difficulty finding any structures, targets, in the blocks it had a licence for. They informed us last September they had not found any target to drill," Lakkotrypis said.

He said the situation has no connection to the recent Turkish offshore provocations.

Total was granted hydrocarbon exploration licenses in blocks 10 and 11 after signing two production sharing contracts with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism in Nicosia in February in 2013.

Last month the Cyprus Energy Ministry announced that no exploitable quantities of hydrocarbons were found in an exploratory well in the "Onasagoras" reservoir, in Cyprus` exclusive economic zone block 9.

Referring to `Onasagoras`, the Minister of Energy said that drilling in sea depths like in Cyprus have a technical chance of success of only 26 percent.

ENI is the Operator of blocks 2, 3 and 9 of the Cyprus EEZ with 80% participating interest while KOGAS is partner in these blocks with a 20% participating interest. Hmmmm........Strange he mentioned this...He said the situation has no connection to the recent Turkish offshore provocations.

Cyprus - Nicosia anger at UN report "does not correspond with reality"

Cyprus - Nicosia anger at UN report "does not correspond with reality" (Famagusta).

Dissatisfaction and disappointment was expressed by the Government through the Government Spokesman, Nikos Christodoulides, with regard to the content of the Report of the UN Secretary-General about the activities of the United Nations in Cyprus.

Christodoulides said that the Government wishes to express its strong dissatisfaction and disappointment with regard to the content of the Report of the UN Secretary-General about the activities of the United Nations in Cyprus during the period 21 June 2014 to 15 December 2014.

With regard to the provocative actions of Turkey in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus, the Report presents the events in a way that does not correspond at all with reality, he said.

He also said the report has insufficient references to the humanitarian issue of the missing persons.

"This picture is a far cry from reality since it is known that Turkey, the occupying power, refuses to provide unimpeded access to more than 30 military areas in which, according to reliable information, there are mass graves, as well as to military archives, thereby obstructing significantly the work of the CMP and prolonging in this way the tragedy of the relatives of the missing," he said.

Turkey rules out energy alliance with Israel until Gaza peace.....or Hell freezes over?

Turkey rules out energy alliance with Israel until Gaza peace. (HD).

A natural gas project with Israel amid the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip is out of question, the Turkish energy minister has said, shutting the door to an energy alliance between the two countries.

“If we build a natural gas pipeline from Israel or the eastern Mediterranean under these circumstances, the blood of innocent infants and mothers, not natural gas, would flow through it,” Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yıldız said, after a meeting with Maltese Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi on Aug. 4.

“Therefore, I want to share with the public that there is no possibility for us to carry out this project [under the current circumstances] right now and this issue can only be discussed after a permanent cease-fire and an end to the cruelty in Palestine [has been implemented],” he added.

Despite, the Turkish energy minister saying a potential energy partnership “could be talked about after everything has stabilized and calmed down,” he still stressed that “[Turkey’s] door will be closed until that time.” Hmmmm....And if things would cool down, we'll send Turkish troops on the next 'Gaza Flotilla'Read the full story here.

Report: Israel’s Navy Seeks $760 Million Gas Field Defense Force.

"Israel's staunchest Ally" - Obama admin sells one of the most advanced anti-ship cruise missiles to Egypt

Report: Israel’s Navy Seeks $760 Million Gas Field Defense Force.(TA).Israel’s navy is scrambling to assemble a force of new warships worth $760 million to protect the country’s natural gas fields in the Mediterranean as the production from the first field discovered in 2009 went onstream this past weekend, reports UPI.

The navy wants 2-4 patrol-class vessels as well as unmanned aerial vehicles to detect threats such a suicide frogmen and anti-ship missiles.

Due to defense budget cuts Israel is hoping that the U.S. will foot some of the bill, a plausible expectation considering that an American company-Houston’s Noble Energy - is operating the gas fields.

According to UPI, the navy wants four 1,200-ton, long-endurance warships equipped with defensive missile systems to intercept anti-ship missiles, possessed by Syria and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, aimed at production platforms.

Naval officials say the Defense Ministry has been in touch with several foreign shipbuilders, but no decision has been made on contracts.

UPI adds that to cover the area, which will have to cover an area larger than the size of the state itself, the navy is expected to acquire long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles. Another possibility is the missile-armed, remote-controlled robotic boat developed by state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Haifa. Military sources say the craft, with a maximum speed of 42 miles per hour, could be useful against suicide boats manned by Hezbollah or Iranian Revolutionary Guard teams.

“The gas fields spanning a large area west of the coast of Israel significantly broaden the challenges facing the Israeli navy,” the Defense Ministry said in a recent a statement. “The protection of these strategic assets requires increased resources and extensive preparations.”Hmmmm.....Perhaps 'Israel's staunchest ally' could give the two frigates he wanted to donate to Turkey?Read the full story here.

Related: US frigate donation to Obama's BFF Erdogan ‘Sunk’.

Message to Turkey - Greece Joins Israel-USA Military Exercise in Southern Mediterranean.

Message to Turkey - Greece Joins Israel-USA Military Exercise in Southern Mediterranean.(GR).At the same time the tripartite energy agreement will be signed between Greece, Israel and Cyprus on Thursday at Kavouri of Vouliagmeni, Athens, in the presence of Richard Morningstar, the special envoy of the US Foreign Affairs Ministry, a large-scale aeronautical military exercise will be taking place in the Southern Mediterranean. According to defencenet.gr, Greece, Israel and USA will launch their joint military exercise from Crete to Haifa against “virtual enemy forces” that bear great resemblance to the Turkish aeronautical forces in this particular military operation scenario. 
“Noble Dina” was initially planned to take place in April just like in 2011. However, it was decided that the military exercise should coincide with the date of the energy agreement signing between the three countries of the Southeastern Mediterranean. Thus, it would underline that the cooperation between Israel, Greece and the US does not only concern energy but military affairs as well. Defencenet.gr reported that the implied “message” goes to Ankara, which for the time is a barrier to the common interests of Israel and USA in the broader region. 
The exercise is taking place only a few days after Turkey had claimed that the same thing that happened in Imia would also happen to the Eastern Mediterranean.The military exercise will start from the US Air base in Souda, pass south through Megisti and the shores of Cyprus and will reach the shores of Israel. Last year, “Noble Dina” was conducted between April 3rd and 14th and included eight vessels, two submarines, helicopters and aircraft and four Greek F-16 Block 52 combat jets. Until 2012, the exercise was strictly conducted by the Israeli and American forces. The new military operation scenarios include exercises of repelling enemy attacks against offshore natural gas and oil rigs, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and prohibition of military aircraft operations.Hmmmm......Isn't it great to have such an NATO ally as Turkey?Good thing Obama has a 'trusted relation' with him.Read the full story here.