Preliminary drilling results in Lebanon’s Block 4 came back negative for the existence of a gas reservoir, according to The Daily Star.  

Despite the failed results, Lebanon’s Energy and Water Minister Raymond Ghajar said; “it proved the presence of gas at various depths within the geological layers penetrated by the well in the geological region bordering the Lebanese coast [Basin margin area].” As of now, it is unclear whether there are commercial quantities of gas in block 4.

Total has signed two exploration and production (E&P) agreements with the Lebanese Republic for blocks 4 and 9. Drilling operations in Block 4 began in February 2020 and there have been no drilling operations in Block 9 so far.

The drilling was carried out in waters at a depth of 1,500 meters and a layer of salt rock was penetrated with a thickness of 1,000 meters before reaching the promising target layers.