MP Aoun: Lebanese leaders do not desire oil extraction off Lebanese shores

Change and Reform bloc held on Tuesday its weekly meeting at Rabieh.

Following the meeting, MP Michel Aoun said that he suggested the formation of a security committee for the Parliament since 2005, noting that some Lebanese leaders hindered the formation of the said committee.

MP Aoun added that the committee must mimic others in terms of tasks and duties and that Lebanese MPs must claim the appropriate performance of security apparatuses.

He also noted that some Lebanese leaders do not want to extract oil off Lebanon's shores, adding that consecutive ministers of energy were not able to achieve success in this file.

Interest in drilling in the eastern Mediterranean has grown since two natural gas fields were discovered off Lebanon's shores.

Delegates at an oil and gas conference in Beirut in December said Lebanese waters could contain between 30 trillion and 40 trillion cubic feet of gas.

Energy Minister Gebran Bassil said in September that one southern bloc alone could hold 12 trillion cubic feet and this was enough gas to produce electricity for Lebanon for 99 years.

Lebanon hopes that gas discoveries could help address its government debt and chronic domestic power shortages, but repeated delays mean it is already several years behind in exploring those potential reserves.