Lebanon's Ministry of Energy and Water said on Friday that the first airplane to survey for oil and gas exploration in the northern half of country has arrived.
The plane will start the exploration today, while a second plane will arrive later, the Ministry said.
A number of international companies have requested performing oil and gas exploration in the Lebanese sea, after oil experts had announced the availability of large amounts of these two elements in the Neritic zone between Lebanon, Israel, and Cyprus.
The experts estimate the available gas in the area to reach 122 trillion square foot, while crude oil is about two billion barrels.
Meanwhile, a French report published on March 13 of this year, said the estimated amount of oil could reach 440 million barrel in the northern regional waters of Lebanon.