Chevron and Egypt are stepping up efforts to fast-track the agreements needed to connect Cyprus’ Aphrodite gas field to Egypt’s gas infrastructure, in a move that could reshape gas flows across the Eastern Mediterranean. Egyptian Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi recently held talks with Chevron executive Javier La Rosa on completing the technical, financial and commercial frameworks required to advance the project.

The discussions come as Egypt seeks to strengthen its position as a regional gas hub by using its existing processing and LNG infrastructure to handle gas from neighbouring countries. Egyptian officials said the Aphrodite connection could allow gas produced offshore Cyprus to be transported to Egypt for processing and potentially re-exported to international markets.

Aphrodite, located in Block 12 of Cyprus’ offshore waters, was discovered in 2011 and is operated by Chevron, which holds a 35% interest alongside Shell and NewMed Energy. Chevron says the field is about 170 kilometres southeast of Cyprus, while Cyprus’ energy authorities currently estimate its best-estimate gas-in-place resources at about 5.6 trillion cubic feet based on 2023 data.

Cyprus approved modifications to Aphrodite’s development and production plan in February 2025. The project includes a floating production unit, with plans for the gas to be moved toward Egypt. The latest talks also come as Cyprus presses Chevron to accelerate the project and move toward a final investment decision, with the island’s government describing Aphrodite as a strategic priority.

Beyond Aphrodite, Egypt is pursuing connections with other Eastern Mediterranean gas discoveries, highlighting Cairo’s broader ambition to become a key processing and export centre for regional gas. For Chevron, the talks also open the door to expanding exploration and production activities in Egypt’s Mediterranean waters, potentially bringing more investment and drilling activity to the country’s energy sector.

source: oilprice