Scientific Discovery at Offshore Gas Platform in Mediterranean Sea Sparks Research Collaboration

CSA Ocean Sciences (CSA), a marine environmental consulting firm, has recently made a significant scientific discovery at an offshore natural gas platform in the Mediterranean Sea. This discovery has led to a collaborative investigation involving faculty members at Tel Aviv University and other partners in the region.

The discovery was made during an annual environmental monitoring survey conducted by CSA field teams around the Chevron-operated Leviathan production platform off the coast of Israel. Following a period of tension between Israel and Iran, the operator received clearance to resume production from the asset, prompting the research activities.

The scientific paper titled ‘A dramatic northward range expansion of a Red Sea soft coral in the Mediterranean Sea’ highlights the presence of numerous colonies of the soft coral species, Dendronephthya hemprichi, native to the coral reefs of the Red Sea, growing on the platform’s subsea structures at depths of up to 30 meters.

Described as an unexpected and extraordinary phenomenon by CSA, the discovery has initiated a collaborative research program led by Dr. Tom Shlesinger and Prof. Yehuda Benayahu from the School of Zoology at Tel Aviv University. The research aims to further explore the implications of this discovery.

CSA expressed gratitude to Elad Mills, CEO of CSA Israel, for his management of operations in the region and his efforts in facilitating the collaboration between Chevron and Tel Aviv University. The research will be led by a master’s student under the guidance of the researchers, in partnership with Chevron Mediterranean, NewMed Energy, and Ratio Energies.

Leviathan, located 130 kilometers off the shores of Haifa, is the largest natural gas reservoir in the Mediterranean and a significant energy project in Israel. The ongoing study will involve underwater visual surveys and the collection of coral samples for detailed examination of their reproductive biology and dispersal capabilities in the Mediterranean Sea.

As the Leviathan partners approve the budget for expanding infrastructure to include a floating LNG (FLNG) facility, the future facility is expected to produce 4.6 million tons of LNG per year. This expansion is crucial for potential LNG deliveries from the Leviathan reservoir to Germany under a deal signed by NewMed and Uniper.