Qatar expresses desire to partner in Lebanon oil exploration

Lebanese Minister of Energy Walid Fayyad talks during an interview with AFP at his office in the capital Beirut on 20 January 2022. [JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images]

The Lebanese Minister of Energy and Water Walid Fayyad revealed on Friday Qatar’s desire to join a consortium to explore oil in Lebanese waters, along with French company TotalEnergies and Italy’s Eni.

Fayyad made his statement in a press conference following his meeting with Prime Minister Najib Mikati in the presence of members of the Lebanese Petroleum Administration, including Wissam Shabat, Wissam Al-Dhahabi, Gabi Daboul and Walid Nasr.

Fayyad shared that Qatar wants to join the consortium to enter the oil exploration venture in Blocks four and nine in Lebanese waters to partner with TotalEnergies and Eni.

He added: “The Qatari desire was expressed in a message from Oil Minister Saad Al-Kaabi, in which he announced Doha’s intentions with Lebanon’s participation to enter the consortium to drill in Blocks four and nine.”

Fayyad explained that Qatar would then become the third partner of TotalEnergies and Eni in the two fields, noting that this is “a very important matter”.

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