Chevron Mediterranean Limited and its partners in the Tamar natural gas field have completed the Tamar Optimization Project offshore Israel, the company said Tuesday, June 16, 2026. The project aims to strengthen domestic and regional gas supply by expanding flow capacity from the reservoir to Israel’s transmission network.
The project included the construction of a new 150-kilometer pipeline from the Tamar field, located about 90 kilometers west of Haifa, to the Tamar platform about 24 kilometers west of Ashkelon. It also included the reinstatement of three booster gas compressors at the Ashdod Onshore Terminal, Chevron said.
New pipeline increases Tamar flow capacity
The new line, also known as the third gathering line, was added to two existing gas transmission pipelines serving the field. The Jerusalem Post previously reported that Chevron had approved the first phase of Tamar’s expansion, including a third 150-kilometer pipeline from the field to the offshore platform.
Tamar’s technical production capability now stands at 1.6 billion cubic feet per day, compared with 1.1 billion cubic feet per day before completion of the project. The Post later reported that the second phase of the Tamar Optimization Project aimed to restore compressors at the Ashdod Onshore Terminal and raise capacity to 1.6 billion cubic feet per day.
Chevron cites Israeli and regional energy security
“Completion of the Tamar Optimization Project is a further step in Chevron’s long-standing commitment to partner with the State of Israel to deliver essential energy infrastructure, to meet the growing demand for reliable and affordable energy,” said Jack Baker, managing director of Chevron’s Eastern Mediterranean region.
“Chevron remains focused on supporting resilient and diversified energy systems,” Baker said. “This latest project will play an important role in strengthening energy security domestically and across the region.”
Completion follows Leviathan infrastructure work
Chevron said the completion of the Tamar project follows the recent delivery of first gas from the Leviathan Third Gathering Line. The Post reported in January that Chevron and its partners approved a Leviathan expansion plan intended to increase production capacity through new wells, subsea infrastructure, and platform upgrades.
Together, the Tamar and Leviathan projects increase offshore capability from 2.4 billion cubic feet per day to 3.1 billion cubic feet per day, Chevron said. The company said the projects also aim to improve operational resilience in Israel’s offshore gas system.
Eastern Mediterranean portfolio grows
Chevron operates the Tamar and Leviathan fields in Israel and the Aphrodite gas field offshore Cyprus, which is currently in development. The Post reported this month that Chevron has expanded its role in Israel’s energy sector through the Leviathan and Tamar natural gas fields.
The Tamar Optimization Project marks one of the most significant recent infrastructure upgrades to Israel’s offshore gas system, bringing the field’s stated technical capability to 1.6 billion cubic feet per day.