Lebanon asks TotalEnergies to start gas exploration 'quickly'
The move follows Israel and Lebanon finally reaching an agreement on their disputed sea border.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun met with representatives of the French energy giant TotalEnergies today and told the company to “start exploration quickly” in Block 9, the Lebanese Presidency said in a tweet.
TotalEnergies first signed an energy exploration and production agreement with Lebanon back in 2018. The Lebanese government also said last week that TotalEnergies would begin exploring in Block 9, off the coast of Lebanon in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Why it matters: Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-brokered deal on their disputed maritime border earlier this month. Israel has been pumping gas from the eastern Mediterranean for years, but Lebanon claimed part of the area.
Lebanon is facing severe gas and electricity shortages as the economic crisis continues. Having its own natural gas supply could help, though it would take years to start pumping. Corruption and governance issues in the country could also hinder the development of an independent gas sector.
