Noble Energy Announces Letter of Intent to Sell Leviathan Natural Gas to the National Electric Power Company of Jordan

HOUSTON, Sept. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Energy, Inc. NBL today announced the execution of a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to supply natural gas from the Leviathan field, offshore Israel, to the National Electric Power Company Ltd. (NEPCO) of Jordan.  Under terms of the LOI, Noble Energy and the Leviathan partners will supply a base gross quantity of 1.6 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas from the Leviathan field over a 15-year term.  Sales volumes under the agreement are anticipated to begin at a rate of 300 million cubic feet per day. 

Delivery of natural gas is expected to occur at a border location between Israel and Jordan, following the completion of related pipeline infrastructure.  The price for the natural gas is based primarily on a linkage to Brent oil prices and is dependent on negotiations of a binding agreement.  A final gas purchase and sales agreement is expected to be completed in 2014 and will be subject, among other conditions, to the receipt of regulatory approvals in Israel and Jordan.  The parties are working in coordination with, and the support of, the United States Department of State.

Keith Elliott, Noble Energy's Senior Vice President, Eastern Mediterranean, commented, "We look forward to working with NEPCO and supporting economic prosperity across the region through development of these world-class energy resources. This LOI and other recent regional export arrangements are advancing the first phase of development at the Leviathan project, which is being designed with capacity for 1.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.  As we continue to mature the technical design of the project, we are making good progress on the marketing side.  We now have over 60 percent of Leviathan's initial capacity and 80 percent of targeted initial sales volumes secured with LOIs."

Noble Energy operates Leviathan with a 39.66 percent working interest.  Other interest owners are Delek Drilling with 22.67 percent, Avner Oil Exploration with 22.67 percent, and Ratio Oil Exploration (1992) Limited Partnership with the remaining 15 percent.  The Leviathan field has an estimated 22 Tcf of discovered natural gas resources.

Noble Energy is a leading independent energy company engaged in worldwide oil and natural gas exploration and production.  The Company has core operations onshore in the U.S., primarily in the DJ Basin and Marcellus Shale, in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, offshore Eastern Mediterranean, and offshore West Africa.  Noble Energy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded under the ticker symbol NBL.  Further information is available at www.nobleenergyinc.com.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities law.  Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "intends,"  "will," "should," "may," and similar expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and reflect Noble Energy' s current views about future events. They include estimates of oil and natural gas reserves and resources, estimates of future production, assumptions regarding future oil and natural gas pricing, planned drilling activity, future results of operations, projected cash flow and liquidity, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations. No assurances can be given that the forward-looking statements contained in this news release will occur as projected, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks include, without limitation, the volatility in commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas, the presence or recoverability of estimated reserves, the ability to replace reserves, environmental risks, drilling and operating risks, exploration and development risks, competition, government regulation or other actions, the ability of management to execute its plans to meet its goals and other risks inherent in Noble Energy's business that are discussed in its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These reports are also available from Noble Energy's offices or website, http://www.nobleenergyinc.com. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made. Noble Energy does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change.

The Securities and Exchange Commission requires oil and gas companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose proved reserves that a company has demonstrated by actual production or conclusive formation tests to be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating conditions. The SEC permits the optional disclosure of probable and possible reserves, however, we have not disclosed the Company's probable and possible reserves in our filings with the SEC. We use certain terms in this news release, such as "discovered natural gas resources," which are by their nature more speculative than estimates of proved, probable and possible reserves and accordingly are subject to substantially greater risk of being actually realized. The SEC guidelines strictly prohibit us from including these estimates in filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosures and risk factors in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and in other reports on file with the SEC, available from Noble Energy's offices or website, http://www.nobleenergyinc.com.  

SOURCE Noble Energy