Syria’s Oil Revival Is Weakening Russia’s Influence in the Country
Syrian oil is clawing its way back, methodically. Onshore, the immediate issue is returning Syria’s existing oil production to Damascus. Most producing fields are concentrated in Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah in the northeast, territory Damascus lost during the civil war, eventually to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Courtesy of a January military offensive against the SDF, Damascus has…
Syria's oil industry is experiencing a resurgence, gradually regaining control over its existing production. The most significant fields, located in Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah, have been recovered following a military offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC) has resumed crude transfers from the Omar, Tanak, Rmeilan, and Sweidiya fields to Baniyas and Homs refineries.
HKN Energy is set to begin operations at Rmeilan fields by June. ConocoPhillips, in a June deal with SPC and Novaterra Energy, aims to rehabilitate existing gas fields and develop new production, targeting an additional 4-5 million cubic meters of gas daily. Western and Gulf companies, including Chevron, TotalEnergies, and QatarEnergy, are now exploring offshore oil and gas in Syria's Mediterranean waters.
Russia, once poised to become Syria's primary offshore partner, is now playing a more limited role. Syria is in the process of reclaiming control over two key Russian military bases and its commercial port at Tartous, which Russia had previously used for military and naval operations in the region. While Russia retains some leverage with Syria, it has become heavily reliant on Syrian crude oil.
Damascus has expressed willingness to reduce oil imports from Russia in exchange for Washington lifting Syria's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Syrian officials are increasingly exploring alternative oil suppliers to diversify their energy sources.
Written by urgent.news from OilPrice's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
