The state issued permits on Thursday to the Delek Drilling (Delek Kiduchim) and Avner companies to produce natural gas from the Tamar and Dalit drilling sites for the next 30 years. Delivery of the gas is expected to start in 2012.
More than 220 billion cubic meters of the resource have been discovered at the two drilling sites, which would supply all of Israel's natural-gas needs for the next 20 years.