Israeli energy and water minister Yuval Steinitz has discussed possible joint development of Israeli, Cypriot and Egyptian offshore gas discoveries with Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Italy's Eni, the ministry said Thursday.
Descalzi will also meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to talk about regional gas co-operation, it said.
Steinitz and Descalzi talked about a proposal to co-operate on the development of regional gas fields and joint exports to Western Europe, ministry sources said.
More specifically, the sources said the minister proposed Eni consider exploration in Israeli waters and acquiring the Tanin and Karish offshore fields that Delek Group and Noble Energy will be forced to sell as part of a government framework for Israel's gas sector.
Eni has previously expressed interest in the two licenses
The ministry is hoping the two adjacent offshore fields will become a competitor in a domestic gas market currently totally dependent on the Tamar field in which Delek Group and Noble Energy hold a majority stake.
Earlier this month, Descalzi met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to discuss development of the Zohr field offshore Egypt. The Zohr discovery, announced by Eni late August, has estimated resources of 30 Tcf.
