Asia Times: Russia's Novatek mulls bid for Cypriot gas

Novatek, Russia's largest independent natural gas producer, is considering applying for a license to explore for gas offshore from Cyprus when Nicosia opens a second round of bidding for its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) later this year. 

The announcement follows the opening of negotiations between Russia's Gazprom and an Israeli gas exploration consortium for marketing of gas from Israel's offshore Tamar field (and probably also the nearby Dalit field), estimated to contain close to 300 billion cubic meters (bcm). Gazprom is also reported to be interested in such a bidding for a Cypriot gas exploration license, as well as the American firm ExxonMobil and the French company Total.  MORE