Energy companies TotalEnergies and ENI announced Monday they had made a significant gas discovery at the Cronos-1 well, in Block 6, offshore Cyprus.

In a statement, TotalEnergies indicated that Cronos-1 encountered several good quality carbonate reservoir intervals and confirmed overall net gas pay of more than 260 meters.

On his part, Kevin McLachlan, Senior Vice President, Exploration at TotalEnergies, explained that "this successful exploration well at Cronos-1 is another illustration of the impact of our Exploration strategy which is focused on discovering resources with low technical cost and low carbon emissions, to contribute to energy security including to provide additional sources of gas supply to Europe."

Eni and Total announced that 2.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas were found offshore south of Cyprus, according to DiscloseTV. 

JUST IN - 2.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas found offshore south of Cyprus, Eni and Total announced.

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 22, 2022

Turkey sends drill ship on Mediterranean mission

It is noteworthy that in early August, Turkey launched its newest drill ship on its first eastern Mediterranean energy exploration mission in nearly two years.

According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Abdulhamid Han drill ship, Turkey's fourth, will be sent to an undisputed area about 55 kilometers (34 miles) south of the city of Gazipasa.

However, Erdogan dismissed Greek and Cypriot objections to such missions, claiming that Turkey has the right to search for energy in areas it claims as its own.

In 2020, tensions between Ankara and Brussels rose after Turkey sent a seismic research vessel and a drill ship into disputed waters claimed by Greece and Cyprus.

A Greek and a Turkish warship that was following one of the exploration missions collided in the Mediterranean that August.

The designated area for Abdulhamid Han is north of Cyprus and far from disputed sea areas. Erdogan, on the other hand, warned that Turkey reserves the right to explore for gas in disputed waters claimed by Ankara.

"Our ship will not stop, she will go to other wells and continue to search (for gas) until she finds it," Erdogan affirmed, claiming that "the drilling work we do in the Mediterranean is within our own jurisdiction. We don't need anyone's permission."

According to Turkish media, the ship will be exploring for gas until October 7.

Read more: Turkey to resume drilling for gas near Cyprus

Indirect US-mediated negotiations between Lebanon and "Israel"

It is noteworthy that the Mediterranean is witnessing indirect US-mediated negotiations between Lebanon and "Israel" to settle a dispute over maritime borders.

A Lebanese official source confirmed on Saturday that Lebanon and "Israel" are close to reaching an agreement on the demarcation of the maritime borders.

In a statement to Sputnik, the source said, "We are very close to reaching an agreement on the demarcation of the maritime border with Israel, and we have been informed that the answer the US mediator Amos Hochstein will carry from the Israeli side in response to the Lebanese proposal is positive, and he will soon return to Beirut."

The source added that "the border demarcation issue will be concluded in September."

On his part, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had threatened that "if Lebanon does not obtain the rights demanded by the Lebanese state, we are heading toward an escalation whether or not the nuclear agreement is signed."

The Israeli Channel 14 website reported, earlier, that the ongoing indirect negotiations between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation regarding the demarcation of the maritime borders indicate the possibility of reaching a "permanent settlement", although "several parties in Israel believe that there will be painful concessions, particularly regarding details in the agreement."

Read more: Cyprus protests Azerbaijan position on Turkish Cypriot politician