TotalEnergies aims to drill “as soon as possible” in Lebanon’s Block 9, in 2023, following talks with the Lebanese government.
Total CEO and chairman Patrick Pouyanné has received Minister of Energy and Water of Lebanon Walid Fayad at the French company’s headquarters.
The company has a team of more than 10 people working on the well plans, it has said, in addition to the appointment of an operations manager.
By the end of March, it expects to have a team in Beirut of more than 20 employees.
It has launched a call for tenders on the supply of a rig. Total aims to pick a winning rig in the first quarter of 2023.
It is also working on environmental studies for the area. The company aims to finalise these by the end of June 2023.
A prospect in Block 9 played a crucial role in talks with Israel to agree on the disputed maritime border.
The Lebanese Petroleum Administration (LPA) is also near closing on its licensing round. This is due to come on December 15. The agency awarded Blocks 4 and 9 in the first round, with all eight still available up for grabs in the second.
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