Dolly Bechealani wrote in “Al Diyar”:
Despite the commercial failure of the “Qana” well in Block 9 more than two years ago, it does not appear that the French company “Total” has decided to withdraw from the Lebanese oil scene, but on the contrary.
The latest information indicated that the company has returned to officially establish its presence in Block 8 offshore, with a work program that begins with a three-dimensional geological survey over a wide area extending south of Lebanese waters, in a move that suggests that Paris still sees the Eastern Mediterranean as a long-term strategic opportunity, not a project that ended with the failure of “Qana.” That is why Total informed Lebanese officials that the oil and gas file would be quickly reactivated as soon as the fate of the security arrangements in the south became clear, which were scheduled to begin on May 29 during the recent Washington negotiations. Will the geological survey begin soon in Block 8 if the security negotiations succeed?!
Informed political sources say that reactivating the Lebanese oil file has become directly linked to the fate of the security arrangements in southern Lebanon, and to the results of the ongoing negotiations to reduce the escalation and stabilize the post-war arrangements. For major companies, security stability is a prerequisite for starting any advanced offshore exploration operations, especially in the border area where Block 8 is located. In January 2026, Total officially announced the signing of its agreement to enter the exploration license in Block 8 in partnership with the Italian “Eni” and “Qatar Energy,” confirming that the initial work program includes implementing a 3D seismic survey on an area of 1,200 square kilometers. To evaluate the geological potential of the area.
The importance here lies not only in conducting the survey itself, as the sources explain, but in its political timing, that is, in the necessity of resolving the border dispute, which is the most important today, especially with “Israel” trying to change the field facts on the ground. The “Israeli” army recently said that it “issued a decision to transform Ras Naqoura beach into a ‘closed military zone.’ This is an important point from which negotiations to redefine the originally demarcated land borders will begin. Block 8 is located along the southern maritime border, according to what the sources said, that is, in the most security-sensitive points in the eastern Mediterranean. Therefore, any actual launch of the survey will automatically be read as an indication of the existence of international guarantees that the military situation will not slide again.”
Also, the consortium of companies will decide after the survey whether it actually wants to drill a well in Block 8 or not. The consortium’s decision, according to informed sources, depends on all of these urgent data taken together, especially since their absence poses major obstacles to the start of survey work:
– Long-term security stability in the region.
– The final demarcation of the land borders in the Washington negotiations, as it may affect the “ownership” of the maritime border blocks, including Block 8.
– The results of the 3D geological survey, which give a clear idea about the possibility of commercial discoveries in Block 8 or not.
– Economic feasibility of investing in Block 8, by making the decision to drill a well in it.
The sources indicate that the consortium led by “Total” views Block 8 as a “new phase” after the Block 9 file has practically been closed. Therefore, if it is decided after the survey to drill a well in Block 8, the matter will give oil companies an impetus to invest in other offshore blocks.
Geologically, there are still no confirmations of commercial discoveries in Block 8, but the survey is considered the crucial stage that allows building an accurate picture of the deep layers and identifying potential “excavation targets” before making the decision to exploratory drilling. Therefore, the success of the expected security negotiations in the Pentagon may quickly open the door for the file to move from the “political waiting” stage to the “technical exploration” stage.
Also, the entry of Qatar as a primary partner alongside Total and Eni, the sources add, gives the project an additional political and financial dimension, as Doha has become a direct player in the future of Lebanese gas, at a time when France is trying to maintain its strategic influence in the eastern Mediterranean through energy. Which gives indications that the consortium will not leave the Lebanese arena outside the Mediterranean energy map.
This explains his adherence to Block 8, even after the significant decline in expectations related to Block 9. Therefore, the real question today may not be: “Will Total start 3D scanning soon?” Rather, will the security arrangements in the south succeed in transforming Block 8 from a mere exploration license on paper, into the first actual test for Lebanon’s return to the energy map in the Eastern Mediterranean?
