Gas drilling rig arrives off Lebanon

Gas drilling rig arrives off Lebanon

BEIRUT: French firm TotalEnergies said Wednesday that a drilling rig had reach Lebanese waters ahead of exploration for offshore gas reserves, months after a landmark accord demarcating the Lebanon-Zionist entity maritime border. “TotalEnergies, the operator of Block 9, announces the arrival of the drilling rig, Transocean Barents, on the block, at around 120 kilometers off the coast of Beirut,” a statement said, adding that a transport helicopter had also reached Beirut airport.

Beirut divided its exclusive economic zone at sea into 10 blocks, and Block 9 was part of an area disputed with the Zionist entity. “The arrival of the equipment marks an important step in the preparation of the drilling of the exploration well in Block 9, which will begin towards the end of August,” TotalEnergies added. In October last year, a US-mediated maritime border agreement between Lebanon and the Zionist entity opened up potentially lucrative offshore gas fields for the eastern Mediterranean neighbors.

Block 9 contains the so-called Qana field or Sidon reservoir, parts of which fall in the Zionist entity’s territorial waters. Under the deal, Lebanon gained full rights to operate and explore Qana, but the Zionist entity will receive compensation from the firm operating the reservoir. There are