QatarEnergy officially joins
gas exploration consortium

The company acquires a 30 percent stake

QatarEnergy has acquired a 30 percent stake in the three-way consortium to explore oil and gas in two maritime blocks off the coast of Lebanon. The other members are TotalEnergies and Eni, each with a 35 percent share.

The Ministry of Energy and Water said it expects the launch of exploration activities to be brought forward from November.

A first licensing round in 2017, covering Block 4 and Block 9, was awarded to this consortium which included at the time the Russian firm Novatek. Only one inconclusive drilling attempt was made in Block 4. No attempt was made in Block 9, which was halted due to a dispute around the maritime demarcation of the southern border of Lebanon.

Novatek pulled out in September 2022, leaving its 20 percent stake in the hands of the Lebanese government. In October, the United States brokered a resolution to the maritime border dispute.