Tag: natural gas

Trade Table Turns- Israel Signs Deal to Supply Egypt With Gas

IsraelNo one could have imagined that Israel would ever be in a position to sell gas to Egypt. This is because the country was purchasing gas from Egypt just two years ago. However, the trade was ended because of repeated bombing of the pipeline. Political pressures also played a role in influencing the country’s decision to cut off Israel’s supply of the commodity.

Two years later, both countries have signed a deal for Egypt to get gas from Israel’s gas field. The deal is being facilitated by Israel’s Noble Energy of Housto and Egypt’s Union Fenosa. It is believed that this latest agreement may trigger a much larger reserve. Tamar is only one of Israel’s offshore gas fields. The other one is Leviathan which is twice as large as Tamar.

Tamar is estimated to have approximately 10 trillion cubic feet of gas. This is enough gas to sustain Israel and provide them with the option of exporting the excess. Of the 10 trillion cubic feet of gas that Tamar is estimated to contain, Egypt is set to get 2.5 trillion of that amount.

Blackstone Group Makes Giant Leap Of Faith In the Natural Gas Market

Pantex PlantDespite the current shattering low prices of natural gas nationwide, Blackstone Group is making a giant leap of faith by purchasing three gas fired plants in Texas. The plants are being sold by retail electricity provider, Direct Energy, who initially purchased the plants to protect itself against the price increases in the domestic power market of the day.

Direct Energy bought the three plants for $331 million and is selling them to Blackstone for double the price. This investment will cost Blackstone Group $685 million. Reports have however surfaced that the investment firm is hoping that the state’s electricity prices remain very low.

Fears abound among state regulators that Texas’ increasing population could erode the electricity supply. As a result the Public Utilities Commission is considering paying power plants to keep excess energy. Currently, power plants are only paid for the power that they supply. This will be an incentive for energy companies to build more power plants.

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