The Media Office of the Minister of Energy and Water Nada Boustani Khoury issued the following statement: As the Ministry of Energy and Water and the Lebanese Petroleum Administration received requests from International Oil Companies to postpone the deadline to submit applications to participate in the Second Offshore Licensing Round so to allow these companies to complete the required administrative and technical preparations stipulated in the Tender Protocol; the deadline to submit applications for the participation in the Second Offshore Licensing Round was postponed from the 31st of January 2020 until the 30th of April 2020 inclusive.

With respect to the start of exploration activities in Block 4, and in order to avoid any confusion, we are still awaiting the arrival of the ship Tungsten Explorer which belongs to Vantage Drilling. Tungsten Explorer is committed to heading to Lebanon after the completion of its work abroad as per the contract signed between Vantage Drilling and Total, noting that all preparatory procedures have been exerted to receive the drill ship.

Click here to download the Minister's Decision in relation with the above mentioned postponement.

Click here to download the Minister's Decision in relation with the above mentioned extension as published in the Official Gazette issue no. 4 dated 23 January 2020.