Maritime Boundaries and Cooperation over Straddling Seabed Resources in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

This Chapter provides an overview of the maritime boundary delimitation disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, and the interplay between these disputes and the exploration and exploitation of seabed energy resources, particularly hydrocarbons. This chapter explores, first, how the majority of the Eastern Mediterranean States have endeavoured to resolve their maritime delimitation disputes in accordance with international law and, second, their efforts to deepen cooperation over seabed energy resources in the region. A particular focus is paid to maritime boundary delimitation agreements and associated legal arrangements on the discovery of straddling hydrocarbon resources. The terms ‘straddling’ or ‘transboundary’ hydrocarbon resources are used to refer to pools or reservoirs, which extend across international maritime boundaries and can be exploited, wholly or in part, from either side of the boundary line.

The Chapter is divided into Three Parts. Part One details the geographical and legal context of claims of maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and describes some of the key outstanding maritime boundary disputes. Part Two discusses existing maritime delimitation agreements in the region. This includes the agreements between Egypt and Cyprus (2003), Lebanon and Cyprus (2007), Israel and Cyprus (2010), Libya-Turkey (2019) and Greece and Egypt (2020). The five agreements entrench a consistent regional State practice of cooperative arrangements over seabed resources in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Part Two also provides an analysis of the Cyprus-Egypt ‘Framework Agreement Concerning the Development of Cross-Median Line Hydrocarbons Resources’ of 2013. Part Three queries the existence of a presumption of cross-border unitisation of straddling seabed resources in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Keywords: Eastern Mediterranean Sea; Maritime Delimitation; Environmental Cooperation; Transboundary Resources; Unitisation; Hydrocarbons; Law of the Sea; UNCLOS