China wants to cooperate with Syria in oil and mineral resources sectors

The Chinese ambassador in Damascus, Shi Hongwei, announced China’s readiness to enhance cooperation with Syria in the oil and mineral resources sector.

Hongwei said that Chinese companies have the necessary ability and experience to contribute to achieving development and growth in these vital industries.

During a meeting between the Chinese ambassador in Damascus and the Syrian Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources, Firas Qaddour, they discussed enhancing cooperation in the oil and mineral resources sector between the two countries, especially in the field of oil and gas exploration, survey teams, and the development and investment of mineral resources in Syria, with the aim of enhancing production in these sectors.

The number of memorandums of understanding signed between Syria and China is 9, the first of which was in 1996, and included areas of encouraging and exchanging investments, in addition to economic, commercial, tourism, agricultural, and other memorandums of understanding.

The oil fields in Syria are in bad condition, as a result of wars, conflicts, and lack of development, which is not compatible with the reserves they contain.

Syria has proven oil reserves estimated at about 2.5 billion barrels, most of which are concentrated in the east of the country, especially Deir al Zour Governorate.

The oil fields in Syria are suffering from a major crisis, since the outbreak of battles in the country several years ago, and the presence of many parties competing for control of these fields with external assistance.

According to a report by the Oil Prices website, which specializes in energy affairs, back in October 2019, the total oil reserves in Syria are estimated at about 2.5 billion barrels.

At least 75% of Syria’s oil field reserves are located in fields at Deir al Zour Governorate in eastern Syria.

Syria ranks 31st globally in oil reserves, representing 0.2% of the total global oil reserves of 1.6 trillion barrels, according to figures monitored by the specialized energy platform.

Oil fields in Syria are spread in three Governorates, Deir al Zour, Homs, and Hasakah, as well as some small oil points in Raqqa governorate.

Omar field is the largest field in Deir al Zour Governorate, located 15 kilometers east of the town of al Busayrah, and it produced 80,000 barrels per day before 2011.

There is the al Tanak field, located in the Shaitat desert in the eastern countryside of Deir al Zour, which produced 40,000 barrels per day, and Taym and Ward fields were medium size, as they produced 50,000 barrels per day each.

In addition, there are some small fields, such as Jufra, Conico, and the T2 terminal, which is a terminal located on the Iraq-Syria oil pipeline.

Currently most all the fields located in eastern Syria, are under SDF backed the US army, which taking them are bases, with regularly stealing the oil produced there.

Among the oil fields in Syria, there is the Tabiya field east of Deir al Zour, and the Mahash field to the west, in addition to the Nishan field located west of the city of Mohassan.

The Suwaydiyah field, the largest oil field in Syria, is located in Hasakah Governorate, and was producing between 110,000 and 116,000 barrels per day before 2011.

The Rumailan field in Hasakah Governorate is one of the oldest oil fields in Syria.

Experts estimate the number of its oil wells to be 1,322, and it produced 90,000 barrels per day.

Hasakah Governorate also includes some relatively small fields, namely Shaddadi, Jibsa, and Hawl, the smallest of which is the Yusufiyah field.

At the same time, there is a Shaer field in the eastern countryside of Homs, according to what the specialized energy platform reviewed.

While the Palmyra region includes some small fields, namely the fields of Jazal, Hayyan, Jahar, and Mahr, and in Raqqa Governorate there are some small oil points.