Name: Syrian government seizes control of key oil and gas fields
Uploaded: 2026-01-19T09:17:55.820Z
Duration: 3 min 3 s
Description: Syrian troops have seized control over the crucial oilfields – a key point in a March 10, 2025 agreement between Damascus and the SDF.

Syrian troops have seized control over the crucial oilfields – a key point in a March 10, 2025 agreement between Damascus and the SDF.

Damascus

Syrian government forces, supported by allied Arab tribal fighters, have taken control of several major oil and gas fields in northeast Syria, including the Al-Omar and Conoco fields, which were previously under Kurdish-led control. This development significantly reduces the Kurdish groups' independent revenue streams, impacting their ability to fund civil services and security operations.

The capture of these energy assets, along with key infrastructure such as the Tabqa Dam, enables the Syrian government to better coordinate electricity distribution and support reconstruction efforts. However, ongoing conflict and the lack of investment continue to hinder the full operational capacity of Syria's oil, gas, and power sectors.

Syrian government seizes control of key oil and gas fields

Northeast Syria's oil and gas is a financial lifeline for whoever controls it. Kurdish-led fighters have benefited from revenue through local refining via makeshift tar ovens and supplying diesel, petrol and electricity. Economic leverage central to the Kurdish de facto autonomy. Now many of these energy facilities are under Syrian government control. Among them Al-Omar is Syria's largest field, a major revenue and fuel source. Before the war it was producing up to 80,000 barrels per day. Konako gas field used to be a major energy hub with a capacity of 13 million cubic metres per day. It significantly enhances Syria's natural gas availability for electricity generation. But the current condition of the plant is non-operational due to ongoing conflicts and reports that the SDF dismantled and transferred some equipment to Al-Hasakah province. The Ramillion and Al-Saweda fields provide the historic core of oil and gas production, which is vital for the Jazira region power plants. The Al-Tanak and Jafra fields supply the Euphrates River valley. That's home to mostly Arab tribes with often transactional loyalty to the SDF. In addition to hydrocarbons, the Euphrates River is the main water artery of northeast Syria, feeding both agriculture and hydroelectric plants. The Euphrates Lake can store 14.1 billion cubic metres of water. It supplies water for irrigation, drinking and industrial use along the Euphrates corridor, including the provinces of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor. The most significant infrastructure is the Tabqa or Euphrates Dam. It generated nearly a third of Syria's electricity supply. Now the control of Tabqa enables coordinated electricity distribution as the government in Damascus wants to provide more power to reconstruction zones and the capital. The Tishrin Dam is the other major infrastructure project, but since the fall of the regime it's been contested between government forces and the US-backed Kurdish fighters. As front lines have collapsed, fighters have told Al Jazeera they're hopeful that Tishrin too will soon be under their control. Now that Syrian government forces and allied Arab tribal fighters have seized Al-Omar, Conoco and other infrastructure, Kurdish forces have lost much of their independent revenue. This now threatens their civil service payments, subsidised fuel and security operations. The rapid collapse of Kurdish forces happened as they lost US military cover and also lost support from Arab tribal groups, including members of the powerful al-Bahamad and al-Baghara tribes. Regardless of who controls them, Syria's rich oil and gas fields and power plants need billions of dollars of investment to reach their true capacity. And unless peace prevails, that investment is unlikely to come. Paul Ging, Al Jazeera.

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