Leviathan Gas Exports Expected by Month's End

Israel's largest offshore natural gas field, Leviathan, will begin supplying the local market by the end of this month, with exports to Egypt and Jordan following shortly after, an official from the field's operator said on Monday.

"Within 2-3 weeks we will open the wells and start to supply the gas," said Binyamin Zomer, vice president for regional affairs at Texas-based Noble Energy, reaffirming the company's pledge to begin production by the end of 2019.

"Before the end of the year we will start supplying the domestic market, and the in the weeks right after that we will export to Egypt and Jordan," Zomer told the annual Israel Energy and Business Convention.

The discovery of Leviathan in 2010 helped turn Israel into a potential energy exporter.

The Leviathan partners have already signed major, multi-billion dollar export deals to Egypt and Jordan.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Tova Cohen)