Lebanon’s Petroleum Administration visited President Michel Slaiman, Parliament

Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Najib Mikati on 20/12, to brief them on the

work that is being done ahead of the launching of the first licensing round. The

committee was accompanied by Energy Minister Gebran Bassil. Berri and Mikati,

both instrumental in pushing for the formation of the regulatory body, rapidly

formed in November 2012 after months of dragging, are well represented in the

Petroleum Administration. Berri also urged the delegation to look

into onshore exploration [seismic surveys will soon be conducted in the Bekaa

valley, as we noted in a previous roundup (10/12)] and highlighted the importance

of the petroleum sector in ensuring what the Lebanese Constitution refers to as

“even development” among the different regions of the country......continue reading