Syria’s oil and gas fields, including those in the northeast region (Rojava), have changed hands multiple times over the past 16 years. In late January, the country’s new government regained control of nearly the entire sector - about 95 percent - through a combination of conflict and an agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Syria’s total daily oil production this year has been around 105,000 barrels barrels per day. However, with the arrival of Gulf Arab and American companies, the new transitional Syrian government aims to increase daily production to 380,000 barrels per day.
The infrastructure of Syria’s oil and gas industry has suffered heavy damage due to war and conflicts. The Syrian Ministry of Oil estimates losses in the oil sector alone at $91.5 billion, while the United Nations estimates total losses in the oil and gas sector at $115 billion.
Syria’s oil and gas fields, located in the provinces of Deir ez-Zor, Homs, and Hasaka, comprise a total of 11 fields: five oil fields, three gas fields, and three that produce both oil and gas. Proven oil reserves are estimated at 2.5 billion barrels, while natural gas reserves are believed to range between 8.5 and 9.5 trillion cubic feet.
Syria’s oil and gas reserves are relatively small compared to its neighbors, and it is considered a minor oil-producing country. However, its geographical location, the presence of transportation infrastructure, and access to the ports of Tartus and Baniyas have created a new opportunity for Syria to become an energy hub in the region and attract foreign investment.
Volatility of oil production
Before the civil war, Syria’s daily oil production ranged between 380,000 and 400,000 barrels, with revenues between $3 and $3.4 billion. For instance, in 2008, daily production reached 400,000 barrels and generated $3.2 billion in revenue.
After the 2011 uprising and the outbreak of the Syrian civil war, daily oil production fell to 350,000 barrels, and revenues declined to $1.8 billion.
Year after year, both production and revenues fell sharply. By 2019, daily production had dropped to just 20,000 barrels, while revenues plunged to $45 million.
A year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, oil production rose again to about 115,000 barrels per day, generating nearly $450 million in revenue. In the early months of 2026, daily production ranged between 105,000 and 110,000 barrels.
According to projections, with increased foreign investment - especially from American and Gulf companies - daily production is expected to reach 180,000 barrels by 2027 and return to pre-war levels of 380,000 barrels per day by 2030.
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Production outlook for 2030
Syria’s oil fields in Deir ez-Zor province include the al-Omar and Tanak oil fields, as well as the Conoco and T-2 gas facilities. Before the civil war, these fields produced around 200,000 barrels per day. By 2025, their output had dropped to only 21,000–22,000 barrels per day.
The oil fields in Hasaka province, including the Rmelan and al-Suwaydiyah oil and gas fields along with the Karachok oil field, together produced about 110,000 barrels per day before the war. By 2025, their production had declined to around 50,000 barrels per day.
Homs province contains two gas fields - Abu Rabah and Arak - located in central Syria. These gas fields had no production before the war, but are expected to reach more than 500,000 cubic meters per day.
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Investment of $12.5 billion in Syria’s oil and gas sector
The fall of Bashar al-Assad and the rise of President Ahmad al-Sharaa have renewed major interest in Syria’s oil and gas sector. If stability is maintained, it could open significant opportunities for energy companies.
American and Gulf companies have signed agreements and memoranda of understanding with the Syrian government to invest in rebuilding the energy sector. European firms are also in the final stages of negotiations to join this investment wave.
For instance, major American companies Chevron and ConocoPhillips have reached agreements, with Chevron planning offshore gas production, marking the first such investment in Syria. Oilfield service giants such as Halliburton and Baker Hughes may also return to Syrian fields.
Saudi companies, including TAQA and the ADES Group, have signed agreements for field services and gas production for electricity. UAE-based Dana Gas has also signed an agreement for gas production.
Major European companies, including Total (France), Eni (Italy), and Gulf Sands (UK), are in the final stages of negotiations to enter Syria’s energy sector. In contrast, firms such as Shell (Netherlands) and Russia’s Stroytransgaz have agreed to withdraw from the country.
The largest single investment is expected from the American company Chevron, amounting to $2 billion. Total planned foreign investment in Syria’s oil and gas sector is expected to exceed $12.5 billion by 2030, contributing significantly to the country’s economic recovery.
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Rebuilding Syria’s energy infrastructure
These new investments aim to restore oil production to 380,000 barrels per day and natural gas production to 600 billion cubic feet by 2030. However, this depends on several conditions, including reforming investment laws, eliminating internal and external security risks, implementing production-sharing agreements (PSAs), and Syria’s commitment to international arbitration bodies such as those in Paris or London.
Even if these conditions are met, risks remain - such as renewed internal conflict, the resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS) group, and tensions with neighboring countries. These risks could undermine agreements and push Syria backwards again in oil and gas production.
The return of major energy companies to Syria is largely driven by the United States, following the lifting of sanctions. US institutions such as the Treasury and Department of Energy are supporting the rebuilding of Syria’s energy infrastructure, as highlighted in a presentation by Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, at the Atlantic Council in Washington.
Additionally, the reopening of Syria’s bank account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on February 28 - similar to Iraq in 2004 - signals a broader strategy to position the new Syria as a regional energy transit hub and to rebuild its energy infrastructure with US support in the coming years.
Mahmood Baban is a research fellow at the Rudaw Research Center.
The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.
