Cyprus gas field slated to feed Europe by early 2028 amid energy scramble

Cyprus' offshore Cronos gas deposit is expected to start supplying Europe as early as March 2028, according to the island's energy minister.

Cyprus plans to deliver natural gas from the Cronos offshore field to Europe beginning in the first half of 2028, Energy Minister Michael Damianos announced. The French-Italian consortium TotalEnergies and Eni approved the development last month, marking the inaugural export of East Mediterranean gas to the continent. Construction of a pipeline to Egypt's Zohr hub will start later this year and take up to 18 months, after which the gas will travel to the Damietta plant for liquefaction and ship transport.

The $2 billion link to Egypt is seen as the most cost-effective route, with a provision that about one-fifth of the output may be used locally in Egypt. While the Cronos field holds just over 3 trillion cubic feet, the strategic value lies in establishing Cyprus as a gas producer. Additional Cypriot fields such as Glaucus, Pegasus, and Aphrodite are at various stages of licensing and development, and a separate electricity cable project aims to connect Cyprus and Israel to the European grid.