Lebanon's energy sector relieved as political headwinds ease

With a new cabinet in place, offshore operators will feel more comfortable and a new bid round can proceed

It took nine months to put together and the result does not please every faction in Lebanon's complex political mosaic, but the country at last has a government – including a new energy minister, Nada Boustani. Boustani is no stranger to the job: she has worked in the ministry since 2010 and was most recently an adviser to the previous incumbent. She is also well known to foreign investors in Lebanon's energy sector. One of her first tasks will be to assure the consortium, which was awarded licences for two offshore blocks in late 2017, that the country can now look forward to a period of relative political stability. The consortium, consisting of Eni and Total (each with a 40% share), along