The General Manager of the Syrian Oil Transport Company, Maen Basha, explained that “the first crude oil tanker was exported from Tartous oil port, aboard the tanker ‘Nisos Christiana’, for the benefit of the global company ‘B-Serv Energy’.” He confirmed that the quantity is “from Syrian fields’ production and is surplus to the operations of the Banias and Homs refineries, which are operating at the highest possible production capacity, contributing to providing foreign exchange for the market,” according to what was reported by the SANA agency.
Basha pointed out that the obstacles facing the companies are the infrastructure left by the previous government (the government of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad), indicating that “there is currently a project to completely restructure the Ministry of Oil’s facilities, with efforts from local staff.”
Most of Syria’s oil fields are located in the northeast of the country, within areas controlled by the “Syrian Democratic Forces”. These forces began supplying the interim government in Damascus with oil last February, before relations deteriorated due to disagreements over integrating the ‘SDF’ forces into the new Syrian army, in addition to disputes over ensuring Kurdish rights.
In June, after U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order lifting American sanctions on Syria, several companies moved to develop main plans to assist in exploration.
