I. LITERATURE REVIEW OF OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DRILLING
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In the other countries of the region, the outlook is less optimistic (Fig. 6). In Lebanon, extensive
seismic research over 80% of the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) has shown promising
prospects, but political chaos and institutional vacuum.
In Syria, despite an exploration agreement signed with the Russian company Soyuz Nefte Gaz,
the ongoing war makes it very difficult to develop this activity. Turkey drilled 13 wells in
Mediterranean waters between 1966 and 2014 and has recently stepped up its exploration
activity, with the acquisition of seismic data, without finding an exploitable deposit so far (IFM,
2012).
In the western Mediterranean, hydrocarbon exploration is carried out at great depths, mainly in
the Gulf of Lyon (1,500 to 2,000 m) over an area of 25,000 km², south of Marseille and Toulon.
The exploration was first carried out by the British company TGS-Nopec in 2001 and then
transferred to the Scottish company Melrose in 2006 with an extension until 2010 (IFP 2019).
On the southern shore of the Mediterranean, several North African countries have increased
offshore activity in their maritime territories in recent years, with the exception of Morocco
where oil and gas exploration has been concentrated in the Atlantic in the Essaouira region and
the Gharb basin since 2003 (IFP 2019).
Figure 6: Gas fields and offshore operations in the Eastern Mediterranean
(IFM, 2012)
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In the other countries of the region, the outlook is less optimistic (Fig. 6). In Lebanon, extensive
seismic research over 80% of the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) has shown promising
prospects, but political chaos and institutional vacuum.
In Syria, despite an exploration agreement signed with the Russian company Soyuz Nefte Gaz,
the ongoing war makes it very difficult to develop this activity. Turkey drilled 13 wells in
Mediterranean waters between 1966 and 2014 and has recently stepped up its exploration
activity, with the acquisition of seismic data, without finding an exploitable deposit so far (IFM,
2012).
In the western Mediterranean, hydrocarbon exploration is carried out at great depths, mainly in
the Gulf of Lyon (1,500 to 2,000 m) over an area of 25,000 km², south of Marseille and Toulon.
The exploration was first carried out by the British company TGS-Nopec in 2001 and then
transferred to the Scottish company Melrose in 2006 with an extension until 2010 (IFP 2019).
On the southern shore of the Mediterranean, several North African countries have increased
offshore activity in their maritime territories in recent years, with the exception of Morocco
where oil and gas exploration has been concentrated in the Atlantic in the Essaouira region and
the Gharb basin since 2003 (IFP 2019).
Figure 6: Gas fields and offshore operations in the Eastern Mediterranean
(IFM, 2012)