Cyprus gas project targets Europe by 2028

Cyprus expects natural gas from the undersea Cronos field off its southern coast to begin helping meet European energy needs by March 2028. Energy Minister Michael Damianos outlined the timeline as part of efforts to position the Eastern Mediterranean as an alternative supply region for Europe.

The gas is intended to be exported to Europe in liquefied form after processing in Egypt. This schedule frames Cronos as one of the nearer-term offshore developments in the region targeting the European market.

Partners TotalEnergies (TTEp) and Eni (ENIm) have taken a final decision to develop the Cronos natural gas field. Their timetable calls for work to start later this year on a subsea pipeline linking Cronos to existing infrastructure at Egypt’s Zohr gas deposit, around 105 kilometers away.

Construction of the pipeline is expected to take up to 18 months. The link will connect Cronos volumes to established processing and export facilities, providing a route to international markets without building new large-scale onshore plants in Cyprus.

Once the pipeline is completed, gas from Cronos will be transported to the Damietta facility on Egypt’s northern coast. There, it will be processed and liquefied before being loaded onto ships bound for European destinations.

This arrangement is presented as the most economically viable option for the project, making use of existing Egyptian infrastructure. The cost of piping Cronos gas to Egypt is estimated at roughly $2 billion, significantly less than the projected cost of alternative developments within Cypriot waters.

The Cronos field holds more than 3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Under the project agreement, all of this volume is designated for Europe, with an important flexibility provision for regional demand.

The deal includes a clause allowing roughly one-fifth of Cronos gas to be used to cover part of Egypt’s domestic energy needs. The remainder is to be exported to Europe, aligning the project with both European supply diversification and regional energy requirements.

In parallel with offshore gas development, Cyprus is advancing its integration into Europe’s power network. The European Union has committed $760 million, or 658 million euros, to the Great Seas Interconnector project, which will connect Cyprus to the European electricity grid.

The electricity interconnector and the Cronos gas project together reinforce Cyprus’s role in regional energy infrastructure. They also deepen physical links between the Eastern Mediterranean and European energy systems across both gas and power.