The Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce Announces Noble Energy and Mr. Charles Davidson, Chairman & CEO, Recipients of The 2012 Distinguished Merit Award

Ceremony to Take Place May 4, 2012, at the Hilton New York

NEW YORK, March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce (www.cyprususchamber.com) is pleased to announce that Noble Energy and Mr. Charles D. Davidson, Chairman & CEO, are the Chamber's 2012 Distinguished Merit Award recipients.

Bestowed annually, the Award honors corporations and individuals who have raised the profile of Cyprus and made an extraordinary contribution to Cyprus-U.S. relations through their business endeavors.  The Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce's tribute to Mr. Charles Davidson and Noble Energy will include an Awards Dinner at the Hilton New York on Friday, May 4, 2012.

"On behalf of Noble Energy, I am delighted to receive the 2012 Award from the Cyprus-United States Chamber of Commerce," Mr. Davidson said.  "It's not very often you get to be part of an exploration venture that has the potential to dramatically change a country's energy supply.  We are extraordinarily proud of the cooperative effort between Noble Energy and Cyprus that will allow us to apply our sophisticated technology in an effort to move Cyprus closer to energy independence."

"We are very excited about the 2012 Awards Dinner event, and truly proud to have Mr. Davidson as our 2012 Award recipient," said Mr. Vassos Vassiliou, President of the Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  "Noble Energy's contribution to the development of Cyprus' economy is immensely important and extends beyond assisting the island in becoming energy independent.  These natural gas discoveries are going to drive international investors to position themselves firmly as this new era unfolds for Cyprus and the region.  Over the medium to long term, we expect to see substantial investments in infrastructure and revenue coming from the sales of hydrocarbons, and Noble Energy will be strategically and fundamentally important in helping the Republic of Cyprus achieve these goals."

Charles D. Davidson, Chairman and CEO
Charles (Chuck) Davidson has more than 35 years of energy industry experience. Mr. Davidson joined Noble Energy in October 2000 as chairman and CEO after serving as chairman, president and CEO at Vastar Resources, Inc. A member of the original executive team that formed Vastar in 1994, he previously held a number of engineering, operations and executive positions at ARCO. Active in numerous industry and trade organizations, Mr. Davidson is currently serving as chairman of the Independent Petroleum Association of America's Offshore Committee. He serves on the Board of the Gas Technology Institute, on the Advisory Board of the University of Texas in Dallas and with several Houston community organizations. He is also a board member for the Society for the Performing Arts and the Offshore Energy Center. Mr. Davidson has a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University and a master's degree in management from the University of Texas in Dallas.

Noble Energy
Noble Energy (NYSE: NBL) is an independent energy company engaged in worldwide oil and gas exploration and production. In addition to significant operations onshore in the U.S., in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico and offshore West Africa, Noble Energy is the leading E&P operator in the Eastern Mediterranean, having discovered an estimated 35 Tcf of natural gas resources in the Levant Basin located offshore Cyprus and Israel.  These discoveries include an estimated gross mean of 7 Tcf offshore Cyprus.  Noble Energy and its partners are now leading efforts to bring these resources to market so that countries within the Eastern Mediterranean region can achieve energy independence and grow into exporters of natural gas.

The Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce was formed as a Not for Profit corporation in 1997 to promote and extend commercial, industrial and economic relations between the Republic of Cyprus and the United States. By creating a forum in which its members share ideas and knowledge, the Chamber presents opportunities to potential investors, offers advice on foreign investment projects, coordinates briefings with private and government officials, and works to build strong relationships between Cypriot and American companies and their employees, owners and other constituents. The Chamber maintains a diverse membership of corporations, entrepreneurs, executives, and professionals across all fields of commerce.           

SOURCE The Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce