Hezbollah Warns Israel against Drilling in Disputed Waters

Laila Bassam and Maha El Dahan
Monday, October 25, 2021

The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah on Friday warned Israel against drilling for oil and gas in the disputed maritime border area between the two countries until the issue is resolved, and said the Iran-backed group would take action if it did so.

"If the enemy thinks they can act as they please before reaching a solution to this issue they are wrong," Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech.

Lebanon's cabinet had raised the question to the United Nations permanent representative and others in the international community after Israel granted U.S. oilfield services group Halliburton an offshore drilling contract in the Mediterranean, asking to clarify whether the drilling would take place in disputed areas. read more

Lebanon and Israel are in dispute over the delineation of their territorial waters and negotiations between the old foes could lead to Lebanon being able to unlock valuable gas reserves amid its worst-ever financial crisis.

Israel already pumps gas from huge offshore fields.

The two countries have been holding on-off U.S. mediated talks since October to try to resolve the issue.

"I will not state any positions on this as I don't want to complicate the negotiations but for sure the resistance in Lebanon at the right time through following this issue when it finds that Lebanese oil and gas is in danger in the disputed area it will act accordingly," Nasrallah said.

The U.S. mediator for the indirect talks, Amos Hochstein, visited Beirut this week and said a period of shuttle diplomacy would proceed any return to indirect talks between the two countries similar to those held in October 2020 at the United Nations' peacekeepers base in Lebanon's Naqoura. read more

(Reporting By Laila Bassam and Maha El Dahan Editing by Chris Reese and Angus MacSwan)

Categories: Middle East Drilling Mediterranean Sea

Related Stories

Shelf Drilling Lands New Jack-Up Contract in Vietnam, Extends Egypt Deal

Shelf Drilling Lands New Jack-Up Contract in Vietnam, Extends Egypt Deal

Four Jack-Up Drilling Rig Deals Set to Bring In $129M for Borr Drilling

Four Jack-Up Drilling Rig Deals Set to Bring In $129M for Borr Drilling

PTTEP Hires Velesto’s Jack-Up Rig for Drilling Campaign off Malaysia

PTTEP Hires Velesto’s Jack-Up Rig for Drilling Campaign off Malaysia

BP Expands Oil and Gas Scope in Azerbaijan with New Projects and Exploration Rights

BP Expands Oil and Gas Scope in Azerbaijan with New Projects and Exploration Rights

TPAO, SOCAR and BP to Ink Caspian Sea Oil and Gas Production Deal

TPAO, SOCAR and BP to Ink Caspian Sea Oil and Gas Production Deal

Valeura Concludes Eight-Well Drilling Campaign in Gulf of Thailand

Valeura Concludes Eight-Well Drilling Campaign in Gulf of Thailand

Velesto’s Jack-Up Rig Up for Drilling Job Offshore Vietnam

Velesto’s Jack-Up Rig Up for Drilling Job Offshore Vietnam

Hanwha Drilling’s Tidal Action Drillship En Route to Petrobras’ Roncador Field

Hanwha Drilling’s Tidal Action Drillship En Route to Petrobras’ Roncador Field

China's ENN, Zhenhua Oil Ink LNG Supply Deals with ADNOC

Hanwha Ocean Marks Entry into Deepwater Drilling Market with First Drillship

Current News

Cheniere, JERA Ink Long-Term LNG Sale and Purchase Agreement

Shelf Drilling Lands New Jack-Up Contract in Vietnam, Extends Egypt Deal

Seatrium Engages Axess Group to Clear FPSOs for Brazil Deployment

Inpex Picks FEED Contractors for Abadi LNG Onshore Plant

Inpex Kicks Off FEED Work for Abadi LNG Scheme Offshore Indonesia

ADNOC Signs Long-Term LNG Deal with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation

Sapura Energy Rebrands to Vantris Energy

BP, ONGC, Reliance Industries Ink Deal for Offshore Exploration in India

Allseas-Boskalis Consortium Bags $1.4B Offshore Gas Pipeline Job in Taiwan

CNOOC Brings New Offshore Gas Field On Stream

photo

Subscribe for AOG Digital E‑News

AOG Digital E-News is the subsea industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email three times per week

https://accounts.newwavemedia.com