The first gas from Israel’s offshore Tamar gas field was piped 90 km to the Ashdod power station Saturday, enabling the big facility's conversion to the use of domestically produced energy. More of the country’s largest electricity and industrial plants will be connected to the Tamar gas rig in the course of the year. DEBKAfile: The impending exploitation of big Israel offshore gas and oil fields, including the giant Leviathan well, takes the Israeli economy into a new era and transforms its strategic situation. The United States and Russia are taking Israel into consideration as a major energy power since geological surveys identified vast reserves of gas and oil yet to be tapped.