ALBAWABA - Lebanese Energy Minister Walid Fayyad told Reuters on Wednesday that offshore exploration in Block 9 in the Mediterranean Sea "has not stopped" despite ongoing conflicts along the land border between Lebanon and Israel.
Fayyad added that "it is in everyone's interest to continue as long as there are indications of stability." The French company Total Energies leads the consortium responsible for oil and gas exploration in Lebanon's Exclusive Zone No. 9. In May of last year, the company announced a fixed contract with its partners Eni of Italy and Qatar Energy to use the drilling platform "Transocean Bardell" after Lebanon and Israel reached a "historic" agreement in October 2022 to demarcate maritime boundaries following intense negotiations mediated by the United States.
The Transocean Bardell drilling platform began exploration at the end of August, and preliminary results are expected at the end of this month or in November.
Fayyad stated that the consortium has not yet discussed emergency plans that could be implemented in the event of a broader conflict, including evacuating personnel from the platform.
A source at the Lebanese Petroleum Administration Authority confirmed that the exploratory drilling is proceeding as planned and that the conflict in the south has not affected the operations, according to Reuters.
