French energy giant Total has announced that exploratory drilling will start in the Lebanese waters over the next couple of months.

Lebanon had last year signed its first offshore oil and gas exploration agreement for Block 4 and Block 9 with bids approved for the international consortium of Total, Eni and Novatek.

The drilling will begin in offshore Block 4 for around 55 days, stated Total Chairman and CEO  Patrick Pouyanne, while speaking at the Abu Dhabi International Exhibition & Conference last week.

Pouyanne said the company will begin exploration for oil and gas in Lebanese waters by the end of this year and beginning of January.
          
Confirming this, Nada Boustani, the caretaker Minister for Energy & Water for Lebanon said exploratory drilling operations would kick off in December.

Last year, in February Lebanon had signed its first offshore oil and gas exploration and production agreements for Block 4 and Block 9 with bids approved for the international consortium of Total, Eni and Novatek, he stated.

With such an impressive increase in activities throughout the region, the 6th Lebanon International Oil & Gas Summit (LIOGS) remains a timely platform through which to uncover and present Lebanon’s rising potential to the international, regional and local business communities, with vast opportunities throughout the value chain, said the minister.
         
The LIOGS will be back next year from June 16 to 18 in the capital Beirut attracting more than 750 delegates even as the event plays a key role in supporting Lebanon’s hydrocarbon resources and its nascent petroleum industry.

The top energy summit is today widely recognised as 'the’ meeting place for industry executives and experts for networking and for bringing valuable insight into Lebanon’s potentials; challenges and the road ahead.-TradeArabia News Service