US energy company Noble found an estimated 4.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in one prospect off Cyprus in late 2011.
A consortium of Italy's Eni and Korea's KoGas has a contract with Cyprus for exploration over three offshore blocks. French supermajor Total has exploration rights over one block.
Wednesday's accord was signed in the Cypriot capital Nicosia by Egyptian petroleum minister Tarek El Molla and Cypriot energy minister Yiorgios Lakkotrypis.
Cyprus
