LONDON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Chevron ( CVX ) signed a

deal with Israel's state-owned pipeline operator to kickstart

construction of the Nitzana natural gas pipeline to transport

gas from the Leviathan gasfield to Egypt, the U.S. company said

on Tuesday.

Nitzana would ease an energy crisis in Egypt, which has

spent billions of dollars on importing liquefied natural gas and

is part of a concerted effort to boost Israeli gas exports to

the Arab world's most populous nation.

Last month, the owners of the Leviathan natural gas field

off Israel signed a $35 billion export deal to supply gas to

Egypt. Leviathan, owned by NewMed, Chevron ( CVX ) and Ratio

Energies, holds gas reserves of some 600 billion

cubic metres.

The Nitzana pipeline route will transport around 600 million

cubic feet of natural gas per day, once construction finishes in

about three years, Chevron ( CVX ) said, adding this would bring

Israel's total export capacity to Egypt to more than 2.2 billion

cubic feet per day.