Exploratory drilling began off the coast of Beirut in late February after the drill rig arrived in the country’s waters following two months of delays on a mission in Egypt.

Ricardo Darré, General Manager of Total E&P Liban, told LOGI that the delay was due to some technical issues and bad weather in Egypt. 

The drilling process in Block 4 will take about 60 days, after which an additional two months may be necessary to determine if there is a commercially viable hydrocarbon find or not. 

The chances of such a find are around 25 percent. Total, part of a consortium with Eni and Novatek, is also scheduled to drill a second exploratory well in southern Block 9 in December 2020.