According to Reuters, TotalEnergies and the Lebanese government have reached a deal handing the French oil major temporary majority control of the block and paving the way for negotiations with Qatar over a stake in the gas project.
"We are in the process of discussing that with the government of Lebanon and the partners, Total and ENI for a participation of around 30% ownership of that exploration block," Kaabi said.
"In due course when we get that basically finalized as an agreement, and we sign that agreement, we will announce it."
The initial exploration license was held by a three-part consortium of TotalEnergies, Italy's Eni and Novatek. Beirut announced in September that Novatek, which held a 20% stake, would exit.
Lebanon's cabinet issued an unpublished decision on October 21, assigning Novatek's stake to a firm called Daja 216 and transferring TotalEnergies's 40% stake to another company, Daja 215. It is believed that Daja 215 and Daja 216 were TotalEnergies vehicles.
The sources had said that the understanding between TotalEnergies and Lebanon was that the French group would enter negotiations with QatarEnergy over the former Novatek stake. Qatar was seeking a 30% stake, comprised of Novatek's former stake and a 5% stake from each of TotalEnergies and Eni.
Offshore areas in the eastern Mediterranean and Levant have yielded major gas discoveries in the past decade. Interest in them has grown since Russia's invasion of Ukraine disrupted gas supplies.
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