BP and Adnoc bid a further twist in Leviathan tale

Could the NOC/major play for Newmed stake precipitate further changes to the Israeli field’s expansion roadmap?

Israeli independent Newmed Energy’s late-February announcement of an almost $100mn investment by partners in the Leviathan gas field in a pre-Feed expansion study seemed a conclusion of sorts to its development story. But a late March swoop by Abu Dhabi’s state-owned Adnoc and BP for a 50pc interest in Newmed—the field’s largest shareholder—might muddy the waters again. The NOC and major have proposed taking listed Newmed private by hoovering up its 45pc free float and taking a further 5pc ownership from current parent Delek. The two firms will “form a new joint venture that will be focused on gas development in international areas of mutual interest, including the East Mediterranean”. There