First Lebanese oil and gas exploration focusing on onshore developments
Several onshore wells drilled across the country
Civil war breaks out, ending all development
War ends, with Damascus and Beirut forming “Committee of Cooperation between Lebanon and Syria for Oil Exploration in Lebanon
Lebanese government switches to focusing on offshore oil and gas reserves, abandoning proposals for further onshore drills
Government agrees contract with Spectrum Geo to carry out two-dimensional seismic surveys of offshore resources
Norwegian survey company Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) wins contract to perform three-dimensional surveys
Lebanon and Cyprus sign an agreement demarcating the maritime border between the two countries
US energy giant Noble announces the discovery of the Tamar gas field off Israel's coast
Lebanese Parliament passes Offshore Petroleum Resources Law (OPRL)
Lebanon submits proposed maritime border with Israel to the United Nations. Israel disputes the proposal
Cyprus and Israel reach an agreement on their Exclusive Economic Zones
Noble confirms the existence of a major gas field — called Leviathan — off the coast of Israel. It is estimated to have at least 16 trillion cubic feet of gas at a likely market value of tens of billions of dollars
Cyprus confirms discovery of gas in the Aphrodite field off its coastline
Lebanese Council of Ministers (cabinet) finally ratifies OPRL, meaning it comes into effect
Government deadline for forming Petroleum Administration — a body to negotiate oil contracts — passes without the appointments being agreed upon
Lebanon's Petroleum Administration finally formed but questions asked about level of independence
Israel approves oil excavation in the Golan Heights, an area disputed with Syria
The names of 52 companies that had applied for Lebanon’s oil and gas announced
The names of 46 companies who had successfully pre-qualified announced
Israel and Cyprus agree a memorandum of understanding to establish a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant in Cyprus
As Lebanon and Israel are technically at war, if such a deal were to be ratified it would undermine the chances of Lebanon being able to use Cyprus’s LNG plant
Israel, Cyprus and Greece sign a deal to cooperate over energy, further increasing Lebanon’s isolation