TotalEnergies, partners hire rig for drilling in Block 9 off Lebanon
TotalEnergies along with its partners Eni and QatarEnergy has signed a contract with Transocean to hire the drilling rig that will drill an exploration well on Block 9 offshore Lebanon this year, the French company said on May 2.
The Transocean Barents, a semi-submersible drilling rig, will be mobilised in the continuity of its current operations in the British North Sea.
TotalEnergies and Eni earlier this year completed the transfer to QatarEnergy of a 30% interest in exploration Blocks 4 and 9 off the coast of Lebanon. Block 9 has a total area of 1,749 km2 and lies about 80 km off the coast of southern Lebanon in water depths of approximately 1,700 m, while block 4 has a total area of 1,911 km2 and is located in water depths of about 1,500 m.
The drilling in Block 9 will take place following the deal reached between Israeli and Lebanon in October that settled their long-running dispute over maritime borders and rights.
The maritime agreement should bolster efforts by both Israel and Lebanon to attract more investors to explore their offshore areas for gas.