![Image of an Oil Drilling Platform [Mike Baird/Flickr]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2009_10_11-Oil-Drilling-Platform.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Waters announced on Sunday that oil exploration operations will begin on Thursday.
The ministry said in a statement that the drilling ship, Tungsten Explorer will dock in Lebanese waters today and start the exploration operations in Block 4.
The statement added that after the ship is positioned approximately 21 kilometres from shore, it will begin drilling activities for about 60 days.
The first exploratory well will be drilled at a depth of approximately 1.5 kilometres from the sea surface and will be 4.2 kilometres deep. The drilling will last 60 days; while analysis of the results will take two months.
In 2017, the Lebanese government granted licenses for oil and gas exploration to three companies including Russia’s Novatek, Italy’s Eni and France’s Total.
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