Jordan’s Energy Minister Saleh Al-Kharabsheh said on Tuesday that his country would begin oil exploration in two areas, Al-Jafr and Al-Sarhan, in February.
The minister revealed that a detailed study of the East Al-Jafr region is currently underway to drill three medium-depth wells, in cooperation with the National Petroleum Company.
In televised statements, the minister said: “Work is underway to collect data on oil exploration areas in Jordan,” adding that a specialized company would be contracted to process and analyze the data for each of these areas.
Al-Kharabsheh expected that the next two years would witness a strong activity of oil and gas exploration in most regions of the kingdom, where 2,000 kilometers of two-dimensional seismic surveys would be analyzed, and then interested companies would be invited to apply for exploration licenses, according to a ministry statement.
This comes as Jordan hopes to start supplying Lebanon with electricity by the end of 2021, according to earlier statements.
Under an agreement announced last month, Egypt will supply Lebanon with natural gas via a pipeline running through Jordan and Syria, to help increase its electricity production.
The deal is part of a US-backed plan to ease electricity shortages in Lebanon.
