Cypriot Cronos Natural Gas Field to be Connected to Egypt by 2027

Karim Badawi, the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, met with George Papanastasiou, Cypriot Minister of Energy, Commerce, and Industry, in Nicosia. Senior representatives from Eni and TotalEnergies also attended the meeting. The discussion focused on the progress of Cyprus’s Cronos natural gas field, which is scheduled to be linked to Egypt’s energy infrastructure by 2027.

Within the framework of the Steering Committee overseeing the development of Cyprus’s Cronos natural gas field, Egypt and Cyprus reiterated their commitment to the project’s agreed timelines. The committee further reviewed the status of the technical and implementation agreements, now in their final stages of preparation for a definitive investment decision expected this year.

Badawi stressed Egypt’s readiness to complete the project and establish a new regional energy corridor. He emphasized that this would enhance regional cooperation and benefit both countries. He also stressed Egypt’s commitment to removing any obstacles the project may encounter.

The two ministers further reviewed the latest developments concerning the Aphrodite natural gas field, including finalized implementation agreements and ongoing marine surveys for the planned gas pipeline route. These surveys are taking place in both the Cypriot and Egyptian exclusive economic zones, preparing to link the field to Egypt’s facilities.

At the end of the meeting, Badawi invited his Cypriot counterpart to visit Egypt for the next Steering Committee meeting. The visit would include a tour of the gas processing facilities in Port Said, as well as the Damietta liquefaction plant.

In February 2025, Egypt and Cyprus signed an agreement and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to start developing the Cypriot natural gas discoveries, using Egyptian infrastructure. The agreement was signed during the EGYPES 2025 conference. The agreement involves the gas from the Cronos gas field to be transported and processed at Egypt’s Zohr field facilities, then liquefied at the Damietta LNG plant for export to European markets. The MoU is in regards to the natural gas produced in Aphrodite field, which is set to play a role in boosting Egypt’s natural gas supplies, enabling it to meet the country’s growing energy demand, according to Frank Cassulo, Chevron’s Vice President of International Exploration and Production.

It is worth mentioning that Cronos is operated by Eni, while Aphrodite field is operated by Chevron.