Azerbaijani SOCAR begins geological exploration in Israeli waters

In September 2026, after a four-year break, active gas exploration will resume in Israel’s exclusive economic waters in the Mediterranean Sea.

The exploration vessel, ordered by a consortium consisting of Azerbaijan’s SOCAR, British BP and Israeli NewMed, will begin active exploration in Block I.

The consortium won the tender back in October 2023, but officially took over only in March 2025 due to the war.

3D seismic survey is the first active stage of gas search. It requires a specialized vessel, which is booked months in advance. The vessel will have to navigate the entire territory of the block for about a year in order to identify potential gas deposits.