The on-again-off-again Leviathan gas field should begin production on Tuesday: Israel’s Leviathan natural gas field should begin production on Tuesday after obtaining approval from the Israeli Environmental Protection Ministry, Reuters reports. Production of gas had been delayed from the field until the ministry assesses the field’s greenhouse gas emissions. The project’s leading company, Delek Drilling, said it has received the required approval and will begin gas production on 31 December.

Background: The field was due to go online on 24 December, but the ministry told field operators Noble Energy and Delek Drilling that it still needs further validation that the emissions analysis is accurate. The companies said they remained “ready and prepared” to kick off production. Egypt is due to start receiving Israeli gas under a landmark agreement signed by Alaa Arafa’s Dolphinus with Texas-based Noble Energy and Israel’s Delek Drilling in mid-January. News earlier this month that an Israeli court imposed a temporary injunction on the Leviathan field, which will produce most of the Egypt-bound natgas, threatened to delay the first shipments. The court injunction was lifted shortly thereafter.