BEIRUT (Reuters) - QatarEnergy will join TotalEnergies and Eni in a three-way consortium to explore oil and gas in two maritime areas off Lebanon's coast, Lebanon's Energy Ministry said.

"This will be an important positive development," Lebanese Energy Minister Walid Fayad told Reuters, adding that this agreement could lead to bringing forward the start of exploration activities, currently scheduled for November.

After months of negotiations, QatarEnergy is expected to acquire a 30 percent stake, leaving France's TotalEnergies and Italy's Eni with 35 percent each.

QatarEnergy, TotalEnergies and Eni did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The first licensing round in Lebanon in 2017 saw a consortium consisting of TotalEnergies, Eni and Russia's Novatek win bids for exploration in offshore Blocks 4 and 9.

Novatek withdrew in September 2022, leaving its 20 percent stake in the hands of the Lebanese government.

(Translated by Luca Fratangelo, editing Stefano Bernabei)