Lebanon is set to begin a three-dimensional seismic survey of offshore Block 8, a project officials hope will advance the country’s fledgling oil and gas sector, even as Israeli airstrikes and regional tensions threaten to overshadow the effort.

The survey, to be carried out by a consortium including TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy, and Italy’s Eni, covers 1,200 square kilometers of Lebanese waters. The area, recently confirmed as fully under Lebanese jurisdiction under Line 23, has long been a point of dispute with Israel. Around 20 percent of the block was previously surveyed a decade ago.

Oil and gas expert Abboud Zahr told Al-Markaziya that the operation will be conducted in two main phases over three years. A survey vessel will first map the offshore terrain, located roughly 45 kilometers from the Lebanese coast, over the course of a month. The collected data will then be analyzed over a year and a half to determine whether commercial oil or gas reserves exist.

“Drilling is the only definitive way to confirm reserves,” Zahr said. “Surveys alone cannot guarantee the presence of hydrocarbons. Previous wells explored in Lebanese waters initially suggested potential, but drilling revealed nothing.”

Should the survey indicate promising results, TotalEnergies may move forward with drilling; if not, the project could be paused.

“The seismic survey represents a rare opportunity for Lebanon,” Zahr said. “Even a limited discovery could generate significant economic interest, while for TotalEnergies, it carries minimal risk and adds valuable exploration data for future projects in the region.”

Lebanese authorities emphasized that the Block 8 licensing currently covers seismic surveying only. Final investment decisions, including drilling, will depend on survey results. The depth of the waters, which can reach 2,000 meters, combined with drilling extending up to 3,500 meters below the seabed, presents a high level of uncertainty, according to experts.

Separately, a report on drilling in Block 9 has been submitted to Lebanon’s Petroleum Sector Management Authority and the Ministry of Energy and Water. Due to commercial confidentiality, the findings will not be publicly released, though qualified specialists can access them under legal procedures.