NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Some of the estimated 20 trillion cubic feet of natural gas discovered in waters off Cyprus could reach European markets as soon as 2027, the Cypriot president said Wednesday, as Europe looks for more ways to wean itself off Russian energy.
President Nikos Christodoulides said that the first quantity of natural gas that could be exported abroad will come from one of six discovered deposits called Cronos, which is operated by a consortium made up of Italian company Eni and French firm TotalEnergies.
Christodoulides told an energy conference that the consortium would make its final decision to move ahead with the project next year, with Cronos gas potentially reaching a processing plant in the Egyptian port city of Damietta for liquefaction and transportation to European markets by ship in 2027.
“Cyprus is part of the energy solutions for energy security in the eastern Mediterranean and like I said, it’s an important objective to align your interests with those of powerful states and to act as an alternative energy corridor for Europe,” Christodoulides said.
By comparison, Cyprus' current natural gas quantities are roughly equal to a 10-year supply of the hydrocarbon that Russia would have piped to Europe through the now inoperable Nord Stream pipeline, powering more than 22 million homes annually.
Speaking at the same conference, Cypriot Energy Minister George Pananastasiou said that natural gas from the Cronos deposit could reach markets the quickest, because it can be connected to infrastructure already in place conveying gas from Egypt’s huge Zor deposit around 80 kilometers (50 miles) away.
Papanastasiou said that a late 2027 target date for Cronos gas to reach market is “optimistic but doable.”
According to the Cypriot energy minister, plans to export natural gas from another of Cyprus’ deposits known as Aphrodite foresee the positioning of a floating processing plant atop the actual reservoir to modify the hydrocarbon into what he called “dry gas” that can be routed directly to consumers inside Egypt.
The processed gas will reach a facility near Egypt’s Port Said and will either be utilized for domestic Egyptian consumption or liquefied for export to Europe, depending on what will be decided in further consultations between Cyprus and the deposit’s operator, a partnership between Chevron, Shell and Israeli company NewMed Energy.
Christodoulides said that he would travel to Lebanon next week to exclusively discuss Cyprus’ energy plans. Cyprus shares maritime borders with Lebanon, but the Lebanese government hasn’t fully ratified an agreement delineating the exclusive economic zones of the two countries. That has prevented Cyprus from opening up areas abutting Lebanese waters for hydrocarbons exploration.
The Cypriot president said that there’s “interest from energy giants” to license more areas — or blocks — from within Cypriot waters. ExxonMobil and partners QatarEnergy also hold hydrocarbon exploration licenses for two blocks off Cyprus’ southern coast.
In one block, the partnership has made two significant natural gas deposit discoveries known as Glaucus and Pegasus. Glaucus is estimated to hold approximately 4.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, while Pegasus’ size is still being determined.
FILE - People on the beach take photos of the 'Tungsten Explorer' drilling ship, in the southern coastal city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talked to his team about being prepared to bleed as New England entered its first playoff game since the 2021 season.
Then, shortly after Milton Williams sacked the Chargers' Justin Herbert on Sunday night to secure the Patriots' first playoff victory in seven years, Williams celebrated with a head-butt of Vrabel.
It knocked the first-year coach backward and bloodied his lip.
“The big dogs come out in January. I think Milt took that to heart,” Vrabel said. “He came over and got me pretty good. But that’s what happens.”
Drake Maye threw a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter, and New England's defense roughed up Herbert as the Patriots beat Los Angeles 16-3 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.
Andy Borregales kicked three field goals for the Patriots (15-3), who hadn't won in the postseason since their Super Bowl victory to cap the 2018 season. They’ll host the winner of Monday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Houston in the divisional round.
In his playoff debut, Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and ran for a team-high 66 yards.
“We made plays when we had to do it,” Maye said.
He also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but the Chargers (11-7) couldn't capitalize on those turnovers.
New England held Los Angeles to 207 yards of offense and sacked Herbert six times, with one of those resulting in a lost fumble that set up the Patriots' TD.
“It's on us, what we do. I've been saying that all season,” Williams said. “We can control the game. If we do what we need to do up front, we're going to win.”
This is the second straight season in which the Chargers have lost in the wild-card round. Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 159 yards and was his team's leading rusher with 57 yards as he fell to 0-3 in the playoffs.
Herbert was just over a month removed from surgery to repair a broken bone in his nonthrowing hand.
“There was no issue,” Herbert said. “I just have to do a better job holding onto the ball.”
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said his quarterback wasn't 100 percent.
“He’s a warrior. He just gives it everything he has, all the time,” Harbaugh said, acknowledging that Herbert was limited by his hand injury. “It’s an issue, but he doesn’t flinch, like a warrior would.”
The last time the Chargers failed to score a TD in the playoffs was their 21-12 AFC championship game loss to the Patriots during the 2007 season.
The Patriots drove into the red zone on their first possession of the third quarter, but the drive ended when Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh and De'Shawn Hand recovered for the Chargers.
After Los Angeles punted, Maye connected on a pass to Kayshon Boutte that went for 42 yards to set the Patriots up on the Chargers 27. But New England settled for a 39-yard field goal that stretched their lead to 9-3.
Early in the fourth quarter, Maye used a 16-yard pass to Boutte and a 13-yard burst by Rhamondre Stevenson to set up his precise 28-yard TD toss to Henry that put the Patriots in front 16-3.
The Chargers picked up back-to-back first downs to open their ensuing drive. But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.
Los Angeles had one final possession, but it ended with Herbert getting sacked by Williams on fourth down.
“It’s playoff football. It’s going to get ugly. It’s going to get nasty. But you’ve got to keep going,” Williams said.
The opening quarter had lots of action, but it took until early in the second quarter for the Patriots to end a scoreless stalemate.
With New England pinned inside its own 10 after a Chargers punt, Maye had a pass intended for Austin Hooper tipped by Teair Tart and intercepted by Daiyan Henley.
Los Angeles started with the ball on the Patriots 10 but was stopped on fourth-and-2 when Herbert misfired a pass to Keenan Allen.
The Patriots took over and got some breathing room via a 48-yard catch-and-run by Stevenson.
Thirteen plays and a fourth-down conversion later, the drive ended with Borregales' 23-yard field goal.
Patriots: CB Carlton Davis left in the first half with a toe injury but returned. ... CB Christian Gonzalez left in the second half with a head injury.
Chargers: End of season.
Patriots: Host either Houston or Pittsburgh next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss celebrates after recovering a fumble by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, left, catches a pass next to Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) and carries it in for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, left, avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the New England Patriots, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (33) celebrates a tackle in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings, rear, in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
