Leviathan Gas Field
Israel's Giant Next to Cyprus
Discovered in 2010 and producing since the last day of 2019, Leviathan is the anchor asset of the Eastern Mediterranean: ~22 Tcf of gas, a Chevron-operated platform exporting to Egypt and Jordan, and a $2.36 billion expansion sanctioned in January 2026 — all roughly 30 km from Cyprus's Aphrodite field.
Overview
Leviathan was discovered by Noble Energy in December 2010, about 130 km west of Haifa in the Levantine Basin, in water roughly 1,500 m deep. With around 22.9 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas, it was one of the largest deepwater discoveries of its decade and transformed Israel from an energy importer into a regional gas exporter. The find came just a year after Tamar (2009) and a year before Cyprus's Aphrodite (2011) — together these three discoveries opened the Eastern Mediterranean gas province.
The field is operated by Chevron, which took over as operator through its 2020 acquisition of Noble Energy and holds 39.66%. Its partners are Israel's NewMed Energy with 45.34% and Ratio Energies with 15%. Development uses subsea wells tied back to a fixed processing platform about 10 km offshore, from which treated gas enters the Israeli grid and the regional export pipelines.
Commercial production began on 31 December 2019 with a Phase 1A capacity of about 12 bcm per year. Leviathan has since become the workhorse of Israeli exports: by 2024, roughly 90% of its production was being sold to Egypt and Jordan rather than consumed domestically.
Updated July 2026 · Sources: NewMed Energy, Chevron, Wikipedia/NS Energy
Production & the Phase 1B Expansion
In January 2026 the Leviathan partners took a $2.36 billion final investment decision on the first stage of Phase 1B. The project adds processing capacity and a third gathering pipeline, lifting output from around 12 to around 21 bcm per year, with start-up targeted for the second half of 2029.
The expansion exists to serve exports. In August 2025 the partners signed the largest export agreement in Israel's history: up to 130 bcm of Leviathan gas to Egypt, worth about $35 billion, running to around 2040. Egyptian demand — driven by declining domestic output at fields like Zohr — has effectively underwritten the next decade of Leviathan's growth.
Export Destinations
- • Israel — domestic power and industry via the INGL national grid
- • Jordan — long-term supply to NEPCO for power generation, flowing since January 2020
- • Egypt — pipeline exports feeding Egyptian demand and, via Idku and Damietta LNG, onward sales to Europe; expanded by the $35 bn 2025 deal
Updated July 2026 · Sources: Chevron (Jan 2026 FID release), Rigzone, Reuters
The Cyprus Connection
Leviathan matters to Cyprus for a simple reason of geography: Cyprus's first discovery, Aphrodite in Block 12, lies roughly 30 km away, just across the Cyprus-Israel EEZ line. The two fields share the same basin, similar reservoir geology — and the same operator, Chevron, which inherited both from Noble Energy.
A small portion of the Aphrodite reservoir extends into Israel's Yishai (Ishai) licence, and for over a decade the unresolved unitization question was a genuine obstacle to developing the field. In January 2026, after an Israeli delegation visited Cyprus, the two governments reached an in-principle deal: the Cypriot rights-holders will develop the whole reservoir, while Israel and the Ishai partners receive one-time compensation set by an independent international expert.
Beyond the border question, Leviathan and Aphrodite share the same export logic. Both fields are planned to send gas south to Egypt — Leviathan via the existing pipeline routes, Aphrodite via a new subsea line to Port Said — where it feeds Egyptian demand or is liquefied for Europe. Leviathan is, in effect, the proof of concept for the export model Cyprus is now following.
Updated July 2026 · Sources: MEES, Cyprus Mail, Globes
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the Leviathan gas field?
Leviathan holds around 22.9 trillion cubic feet (roughly 600 bcm) of recoverable natural gas, making it one of the largest deepwater gas discoveries of the 2010s and the biggest field in Israeli waters. It lies about 130 km west of Haifa in roughly 1,500 m of water.
Who operates the Leviathan gas field?
Chevron operates Leviathan with a 39.66% stake, alongside NewMed Energy (45.34%) and Ratio Energies (15%). The field was discovered by Noble Energy in December 2010; Chevron became operator when it acquired Noble in 2020.
Where does Leviathan gas go?
Leviathan supplies the Israeli domestic market and exports to Jordan and Egypt — by 2024 around 90% of its output was exported. The January 2026 Phase 1B expansion will lift capacity from about 12 to about 21 bcm per year by the second half of 2029, largely to serve a $35 billion export deal with Egypt.
How is Leviathan connected to Cyprus?
Leviathan sits roughly 30 km from Cyprus's Aphrodite field, and Chevron operates both. A small part of Aphrodite extends into Israel's Yishai (Ishai) licence; in January 2026 Cyprus and Israel reached an in-principle unitization deal under which the Cypriot side develops the reservoir and Israel receives one-time compensation. Both fields also share the same export logic: gas flowing south to Egypt.