New Lebanese government OKs oil decrees to start stalled tender process

By Lisa Barrington BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's new government on Wednesday passed two decrees concerning oil and gas exploration blocks, meaning a tender process for offshore reserves, stalled since 2013, can begin. Beirut estimates it has 96 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves and 865 million barrels of oil offshore, but squabbling between parties has prevented it from kick-starting exploration and development of the sector. "The two oil decrees have been decided in the first achieveme