French oil major TotalEnergies has ⁠obtained government permission for a new exploration ⁠permit offshore Lebanon, ‌it said on Friday.

Total, which owns a 35% operating stake ⁠in the permit, will begin 3D seismic surveys on Block 8 with partners Eni (35%) and QatarEnergy (30%).

The French company ⁠moved to hunt ​for natural gas in Lebanon in late 2022, following the ‍government's landmark agreement of a maritime border ​with Israel in the Mediterranean Sea - though an initial exploration campaign on an adjacent block was disappointing.

"Although the drilling of the well Qana 31/1 on Block 9 did not give positive results, we remained committed to pursue our exploration activities in Lebanon," ⁠TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne said ‌in a statement.

Initial work on Block 8 will survey exploration potential across ‌1,200 ⁠square kilometers (463 square miles).

(Reporting by America Hernandez ⁠in Paris. Editing by Mark Potter)