Exploration in Lebanon's Block 9 to start soon; other energy reserves remain inaccessible without settling maritime borders with Syria
Before Lebanon can reap any major benefits from its supposedly lucrative offshore gas and oil reserves, the energy-starved country will have to resolve its maritime border dispute with Syria.
The two countries' maritime zones overlap by about 750 sq km, including a region where Syria has awarded contracts to two Russian companies to begin oil and gas exploration in the territory Lebanon also claims.
Lebanon in October resolved its maritime dispute with Israel under a US-brokered deal, which paved the way for French oil giant TotalEnergies and Italy's ENI to begin natural gas exploration in the Qana field in the country's southern waters.
However, until Lebanon's maritime borders with Cyprus and Syria are clearly demarcated, companies will remain reluctant to invest in gas and oil exploration in the rest of Lebanon's maritime zone, leaving the majority of the country's potential reserves still inaccessible.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syria-lebanon-gas-exploration-blessing