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BEIRUT, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Lebanon re-launched its first oil and gas licensing round after a three-year delay, the energy minister said on Thursday, kick-starting the development of a hydrocarbon industry stalled by national political paralysis.
Lebanon has opened five offshore blocks (1,4,8,9 and 10) for bidding in a first licensing round, Minister of Energy and Water Cesar Abou Khalil told a news conference.
In 2013, 46 companies qualified to take part in bidding for oil and gas tenders, 12 of them as operators, including Chevron
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, Total
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and Exxon Mobil
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.
But political paralysis, which left Lebanon without a president for more than two years, meant the licensing process was put on hold.
Abou Khalil said a second pre-qualification round for companies interested in exploration and production contracts would be launched soon.
Lebanon, along with Cyprus, Israel and Egypt, sits on the eastern Mediterranean gas field discovered in 2009.
(Reporting by Lisa Barrington; editing by Susan Thomas) ((lisa.barrington@thomsonreuters.com; +961)(0)(1954456;))
Lebanon has opened five offshore blocks (1,4,8,9 and 10) for bidding in a first licensing round, Minister of Energy and Water Cesar Abou Khalil told a news conference.
In 2013, 46 companies qualified to take part in bidding for oil and gas tenders, 12 of them as operators, including Chevron
But political paralysis, which left Lebanon without a president for more than two years, meant the licensing process was put on hold.
Abou Khalil said a second pre-qualification round for companies interested in exploration and production contracts would be launched soon.
Lebanon, along with Cyprus, Israel and Egypt, sits on the eastern Mediterranean gas field discovered in 2009.
(Reporting by Lisa Barrington; editing by Susan Thomas) ((lisa.barrington@thomsonreuters.com; +961)(0)(1954456;))
