Chevron has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Syrian Petroleum Company and Qatari firm UCC Holding to explore potential oil and gas reserves offshore Syria, a company spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.
Syria’s eastern Mediterranean coast sits between major gas discoveries in Israel and Egypt, making it a strategically significant area. Chevron already operates the Leviathan gas field off Israel, the country’s largest energy asset.
Previous attempts to explore Syrian offshore waters, including a 2013 deal with Russia’s Soyuzneftegaz, were abandoned due to the country’s ongoing civil conflict. Currently, most of Syria’s oil production comes from onshore fields in the northeast, such as the Al-Omar field.
UCC Holding, part of Qatar-based Power International Holding, will collaborate with Chevron on the initial evaluation of the offshore blocks.