The chances of Lebanon signing offshore exploration and production sharing contracts with oil and gas companies in 2015 are slim, but that does not mean that all work in developing the emerging sector will grind to a halt. New legislation is in the works on tax rates for oil and gas companies as well as onshore exploration and production, and the Lebanese Petroleum Administration (LPA) — a body with some regulatory powers that makes policy recommendations for the sector — seems determined to do as much work as it can despite the fact that decisionmakers are in no rush to pass the two decrees necessary to close the licensing round.