Israel Corp. signs $4b gas deal with Tamar partners

Israel Corp., which will need $10 billion worth of gas for subsidiaries, is Israel's second largest customer of natural gas after IEC.

Israel Corporation (TASE: ILCO) last night signed a $4 billion natural gas purchasing contract with the Tamar partners. The signing will bring to an end a four-year saga, since Israel Corp. signed a gas purchasing contract with Egypt's East Mediterranean Gas Company (EMG), a contract which was subsequently rendered redundant when Egypt suspended all gas deliveries to Israel.

Israel Corp., which will need $10 billion worth of gas, is Israel's second largest customer of natural gas after Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) (TASE: ELEC.B22). Israel Corp.'s pending deal with the Tamar partners - Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL), Delek Group Ltd. (TASE: DLEKG), Isramco Ltd. (Nasdaq: ISRL; TASE: ISRA.L), and Alon Natural Gas Exploration Ltd. (TASE: ALGS) - is for a smaller amount, because the contracts will be for short periods, probably because Israel Corp. believes that more gas suppliers will enter the market, especially Leviathan (owned by Noble Energy, Delek, and Ratio Oil Exploration (1992) LP (TASE:RATI.L)).

Under the agreement, three Israel Corp. subsidiaries - Israel Chemicals Ltd. (TASE: ICL), Oil Refineries Ltd. (TASE:ORL), and independent power producer OPC Rotem Ltd. - will buy 16-20 billion cubic meters (BCM) of gas from the Tamar field over a period of several years. Israel Chemicals will buy 0.3 BCM a year through 2017 for its new power station, which will come on line in 2015; Oil Refineries will by 1 BCM of gas a year in a seven-year contract; and OPC, whose power station will come on line in the second half of 2013, will buy 0.5 BCM of gas a year in a 16-year contract.

In December 2010, Israel Corp. signed a gas delivery contract with EMG, which beat the Tamar partners for the deal, after a bidding process that lasted over a year. Two months later, the fall of President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, caused disruptions, and ultimately a cessation, in gas deliveries to Israel.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 26, 2012

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2012

Fencing goes up Petah Tikva's Segula neighborhood  credit: NTA The Metro is really happening

Although there are skeptics who doubt that the project will ever be realized, there are now enough signs on the ground to indicate that they are probably wrong.

Ben Gurion airport Terminal 1 credit: Shutterstock Ben Gurion airport's Terminal 1 reopens

Terminal 1 at Ben Gurion airport reopened yesterday to domestic flights, while international flights will start using the terminal from Sunday, March 30.

Minister of Interior Moshe Arbel credit: Cadya Levy Interior Minister: There is no deep state in Israel

Minister of Interior Moshe Arbel told the Globes Services conference that civil servants are dedicated employees who serve the public.

Minimum wage credit: Tali Bogdanovsky Minimum wage in Israel to rise next week

The monthly minimum wage in Israel will be revised upwards by 6%.

Bank of Israel  credit: Shutterstock/Alon Adika Bank of Israel slams gov't fiscal policy

Governor Prof. Amir Yaron wrote in the annual report that the government's measures are not enough to ensure a sustained decline in debt-to-GDP ratio.

Minister of Justice Yariv Levin credit: Noam Moskovitz Knesset Spokesperson Knesset passes Judicial Selection Law

The new law makes judicial appointments subject to political control.

Airbnb credit: Reuters Knesset ignores Airbnb tax evasion loophole

The Israel Hotels Association has slammed the government's indifference to tax evasion by Airbnb landlords, which it insists promotes unfair competition.

GMT CFO Eran Tibon credit: PR Political tensions tempt Israelis to move funds abroad

According to data from advanced financial services company Global Money Transfer, steps taken by the Israeli cabinet to oust Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, could cause capital to flee Israel.

Sde Dov credit: Guy Yehieli Tenders close for 2,744 more homes in Sde Dov

Four tenders closed last month for the north Tel Aviv district saw a decrease of about 40% in the prices of land, and there is great interest in the prices these latest tenders will fetch.

Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman credit: Rafael Spokesperson Rafael CEO: Iron Beam will be ready in 2025 as promised

In presenting record financial results for 2024, Yoav Turgeman tells "Globes" that the high energy laser weapon system will be operational this year.

Tel Aviv credit: Shutterstock Rent rises moderate due to emigration and reserve duty

Rents only rose 4% in 2024, the Bank of Israel reports, despite the large number of evacuees, due to the negative migration balance and the large number of young people in the army reserves.

Moody's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich, credit: Shutter stock, Government Spokesperson, Tali Bogdanovsky Moody's: Political risks weigh on Israel's rating

"Israel's sovereign credit profile reflects very high political risks that have weakened economic and fiscal strength."

Stef Wertheimer  credit: Reuters Industrialist and philanthropist Stef Wertheimer dies aged 98

Wertheimer founded Iscar, which was sold to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, and was behind many industrial and social initiatives, as well as having a brief political career.

Island founders Dan Amiga and Mike Fey credit: Antonio Delucci Browser security co Island raises $250m at $5b valuation

The company has developed a communications technology that enables fast remote connection to corporate computers.

Yossi and Shlomi Amir  credit: Jonathan Bloom Shufersal doubles annual profit

Streamlining measures by brothers Yossi and Shlomi Amir since they took control have vastly improved the supermarket chains profitability metrics.

Africa Israel Residence CEO Ronit Eshed Levy credit: Cadya Levy "Jewish communities want to move together to Jerusalem"

Africa Israel Residence CEO Ronit Eshed Levy told the Globes Going Long on Israel investment conference about urban renewal in Jerusalem.

Twitter Facebook Linkedin RSS Newsletters גלובס Israel Business Conference 2018