Lebanon extends deadline for second offshore licensing round

Lebanese authorities have extended the deadline for oil and gas companies to submit bids for open blocks in the Second Offshore Licensing Round to Dec. 15, 2022.

The extension, issued by the Minister of Energy and Water on June 15 (the previous deadline), was granted following a request by the Lebanese Petroleum Administration to allow more time for companies not currently operating offshore Lebanon to prepare files and studies “allowing an acceptable level of competition among the international oil and gas companies,” a statement from energy minister said.

There are eight blocks on offer: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10.

Blocks 4 and 9 were previously awarded to a consortium of TotalEnergies (operator, 40%), Eni SPA (40%), and OAO Novatek (20%) (OGJ Online, Oct. 13, 2017; Feb. 9, 2018). Both blocks are in water depths of 1,400-1,800 m. The consortium drilled well 16/1, the first exploration well on Block 4 in 2020, targeting the Lower Miocene in water depth of 1,515 m. Plans for a well on Block 9 have been delayed due to an ongoing border dispute with Israel.