Pro-Palestinian activists who pressured Eni and Dana Petroleum to quit an Israeli offshore gas venture are now going after Murphy Oil, the Houston-based company that replaced them on Monday. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and its partners called on Murphy on Wednesday to give up the six Zone G exploration licenses it holds 50-50 with Israel’s Ratio Energies. The licenses cover about 1,700 square kilometers of seabed near the Leviathan gas field, and Murphy is the operator.
Israel awarded Zone G in October 2023 to Eni, Ratio and Aberdeen-based Dana, a subsidiary of state-run Korea National Oil Corporation. Eni withdrew earlier this year, citing a reallocation of investments, and Israeli financial daily Globes reported that pro-Palestinian pressure also made the company reluctant to enter Israel.
Israel’s Energy Ministry announced Dana’s exit on Monday, according to Korea’s Yonhap news agency. Dana had faced protests in Aberdeen and a complaint to South Korea’s Board of Audit and Inspection. According to the civic group that filed the complaint, the board closed the case after finding that the licensing process had stopped and that Dana plans to withdraw. Dana and KNOC have not commented. Israeli media have reported that Dana can rejoin with regulatory approval.
Campaigners in Scotland, South Korea and Italy claimed both exits as wins and urged investors, insurers and contractors to stay out of the project. They argue that part of Zone G overlaps the maritime boundaries Palestine declared in 2019, which Israel does not recognize. They also cite a July 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion that found Israel’s exploitation of natural resources in the occupied territories unlawful. “Murphy Oil, which has now taken the place Dana and Eni abandoned, should expect exactly the same treatment,” said Dave Black of the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Murphy has not responded publicly to the campaign. On Wednesday, it announced four production sharing contracts covering about 2.6 million acres offshore Cameroon. Murphy and Ratio have 36 months to drill an exploration well in Zone G. Ratio also holds 15% of Leviathan, which supplies Egypt under a $35 billion export contract.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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