Lebanon lags behind regional countries in gas sector
Important planned developments in Lebanon’s oil and gas sector were postponed this month, adding to delays in the industry.
BEIRUT, Lebanon — January 2020 was to be a major month for Lebanon’s budding oil and gas sector, with the first ever offshore exploratory drilling expected to have started and the second round of licensing to close at the end of the month. However, both have been postponed.
The exploratory drilling by a consortium of companies headed by Total SA Ricardo Darré, general manager of Total E&P Liban told LOGI earlier this month that the ship, the Tungsten Explorer, would arrive in January, after a delay.
However, Walid Nasr, acting chairman of the board and head of strategic planning at the government-affiliated Lebanese Petroleum Administration, told Al-Monitor that there was another delay while the ship completed drilling in Egypt, but that it would arrive within two weeks.
The second licensing round for five blocks within Lebanon’s maritime borders was also postponed for three months. Nasr explained the delay was to allow companies more time to prepare their bids.
