Gas deal on verge of collapse

and MK Reuven Rivlin (Likud).

Now another factor has emerged that might torpedo the deal: the Australian media reports that Leviathan’s partners have changed their export plans from building a liquefied natural gas plant to building a pipeline to neighboring countries, apparently Turkey.

Woodside’s motive for the Leviathan deal was to build an LNG plant at a cost of $10b. or more, and to market the product to its customers in China and other Far Eastern countries. But Noble Energy CEO Charles Davidson told analysts on Friday that the company had changed its priorities and “our thinking right now is the Leviathan is going to be a combination of an LNG export as well as domestic sales and we are continuing to move those plans forward.”

Noble Energy is considered Woodside’s main partner in the Leviathan deal, and Delek has not concealed its disappointment over the terms agreed with Woodside.