Cheiron, on behalf of a Consortium comprising Palestine Investment Fund, CCC Oil and Gas Limited and Stargas International Limited (“Cheiron’s Coventurers”), is planning to develop the Gaza Marine (GM) Field. The GM Field will consist of 6 subsea wells, subsea infrastructure and a subsea pipeline that will transport natural gas to Al-Arish, Egypt, where a new gas receiving and treatment facility will be constructed. Additionally, 2 wells located in the proximity to the proposed subsea wells will be plugged and abandoned (decommissioned) prior to the commencement of the construction and drilling phases of the Project. The GM Field is located in the offshore Levant Basin, in the eastern Mediterranean, approximately 35 km offshore Gaza. The Project design life is 20 years.
The ESIA was conducted in two phases: Phase 1 is the Scoping Study, which identifies key environmental and social impacts to assess, defines the area of influence, and guides the scope of the ESIA. It includes alternatives analysis, baseline needs, impact modelling, mitigation, and stakeholder engagement plans. The study informs regulators and stakeholders, helping shape the final ESIA and potentially influencing project design.
The ESIA covered the entire lifecycle of the project, including the construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning phases. The assessment focused on both offshore and onshore components of the project, evaluating potential impacts on marine and terrestrial environments, as well as socio-economic conditions in the surrounding areas.