Syria’s energy sector sees glimmers of hope
Oil industry has potential for revitalisation despite political uncertainty and damage to infrastructure
Syria’s energy sector is in a dire state, with oil and gas production at low levels due to fragmented control, oil refineries unable to operate at nameplate capacities, and a power sector incapable of meeting demand due to the lack of fuel. However, the recent regime change in Damascus offers hope. Syria was producing around 400,000b/d of oil 14 years ago, but today output has plummeted to less than 100,000b/d. In 2011, the country was not only meeting its own demand but also exporting, with oil sales contributing to 25% of government revenue. Syria’s gas production fell to around 3bcm from 8.7 bcm in 2011. Syria has two refineries, a 120,000b/d plant in Baniyas and a 100,000b/d facility in

Also in this section
19 August 2025
ExxonMobil’s MOU with SOCAR, unveiled in Washington alongside the peace agreement with Armenia, highlights how the Karabakh net-zero zone is part of a wider strategic realignment
19 August 2025
OPEC and the IEA have very different views on where the oil market is headed, leaving analysts wondering which way to jump
15 August 2025
US secondary sanctions are forcing a rapid reassessment of crude buying patterns in Asia, and the implications could reshape pricing, freight and supply balances worldwide. With India holding the key to two-thirds of Russian seaborne exports, the stakes could not be higher
11 August 2025
The administration is pushing for deregulation and streamlined permitting for natural gas, while tightening requirements and stripping away subsidies from renewables