NobleEnergy will begin drilling for natural gas at a new appraisalwell off Cyprus on 07.06.2013
The Americancompany, which reported a natural gas discovery of 5-8 trillion cubic feet southeast of the island in 2011, is conducting the appraisal toquantify and confirm the earlier find.
Cyprus,which received an international financial bailout earlier this year, is keen todevelop untapped offshore gas reserves to power future economic growth.
Noblehas rights over one offshore block south of Cyprus. France's Total and Italy'sENI, which have rights over other blocks, plan to drill for hydrocarbons by2015.