How far can Lebanon go with transparency measures in its oil and gas sector?

ENAR

Last year, Lebanon signed two contracts to explore potential oil and gas resources in its offshore waters. It took the authorities nearly four years to close the country’s first offshore licensing round, with the two contracts awarded to a consortium of companies—France’s Total, Italy’s ENI, and Russia’s Novatek—for two blocks, one in Lebanon’s northern waters and the other in the south. Drilling is expected to begin late next year, and the government has already announced its intentions to launch a second offshore licensing round this December. It is encouraging that Lebanon is moving forward toward drilling, but the country needs legislation and regulation to ensure strong transparency and accountability in this sector. A step toward transparency The near four-year delay in the first licensing round was caused by political deadlock that led to total paralysis in institutions. The government was unable to take decisions, Parliament twice extended its own mandate