French major TotalEnergies announced on 12 December that it has mobilized a team to prepare drilling the Qana Prospect on Lebanon’s Block 9, with the aim “to complete the drilling as soon as possible in 2023.”

“The call for tenders to secure the drilling rig has been launched and should lead to a selection of the rig in the first quarter of 2023,” Total says. The French major has moved fast following the ratification in October of a maritime border deal with Israel, with the Qana prospect thought to straddle the maritime border (see map, MEES, 16 December). (CONTINUED - 339 WORDS)