Lebanon slams Israel's intent to demarcate maritime border

BEIRUT, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's caretaker Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour warned Saturday that Israel's unilateral decision to demarcate the maritime border (EEZ)with Lebanon would threaten stability in the region.

Mansour said in a statement "this is a very dangerous decision if adopted by Israel, and it threatens stability, security and peace in the region.

He said that this action by Israel does not produce any legal obligations for Lebanon.

New oil, gas discoveries off Lebanon coast. -New studies conducted in the field revealed large quantities of oil and gas

BEIRUT: Discoveries of oil and gas have been made off the coast of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, caretaker Energy Minister Gebran Bassil said in remarks published Saturday.

“There is a recent discovery of abundant quantities of oil and gas in the maritime zone off the coasts of Mount Lebanon and Beirut that extend at their northern and southern rims,” he told Al-Akhbar daily.

Bassil said that the new oil discovery was “scientific proof of the variety of our oil and gas resources.”
The minster also said that new studies conducted in the field revealed large quantities of oil and gas in both areas “that we need to know how to invest properly.”

Plateau continental libanais: Gazprom candidat à la prospection.

Le groupe Gazprom est, avec Rosneft, Lukoil et Novatek, la quatrième compagnie russe à soumissionner à un appel d'offre pour la prospection géologique sur le plateau continental du Liban, a annoncé jeudi le ministre libanais de l'Energie et de l'Eau Gebran Bassil en visite à Moscou.

Outre ces sociétés russes, des demandes de participation ont été présentées par 42 entreprises de toutes les régions du monde, dont Total, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Eni, Statoil, Shell, ainsi que par des compagnies japonaises, indiennes et sud-coréennes.