Jerusalem, 9 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — To expand natural gas exploration in Israel’s economic waters, the Petroleum Council recommended launching the fifth competitive bidding process for exploration rights, which will be announced by the end of the year or in January 2026. As part of the process, six clusters with a total area of approximately 8,500 square kilometers will be marketed.
The areas for marketing were determined after a geological examination and an examination of seismic surveys that were previously conducted in some of the areas. The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure assumes that there are hundreds more BCM of natural gas in the Mediterranean Sea that have not yet been discovered.
The blocks proposed for exploration as part of the procedure are announced after examining the environmental impact that the exploration could have and after it has been determined that they meet the required criteria. It should be emphasized that before conducting offshore drilling procedures, there are a number of additional tests and individual surveys that ensure the prevention of environmental damage.