Shafaq News– Damascus

Syria has regained full state control of the Al-Omar oil field in Deir Ez-Zor after London-based energy company Shell formally requested to withdraw and transfer its stake to government entities, the head of the Syrian Petroleum Company announced on Monday.

In a press conference, Youssef Qablawi said rehabilitation work has begun to restore oil and gas facilities in line with environmental standards, noting that Al-Omar, the country’s largest oil field, requires extensive technical intervention to resume production. Talks with Shell, he added, are ongoing to finalize financial arrangements and complete the handover.

Pointing to rising interest from US energy firms, Qablawi stated that ConocoPhillips has expressed readiness to re-engage in Syrian gas projects, while other American companies, including Chevron, are preparing to enter the sector for the first time.

Future development will depend primarily on Syrian technical expertise, he stressed, confirming the deployment of army and security units to safeguard energy infrastructure from sabotage and theft.

Al-Omar had been under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) until an agreement signed on Sunday between Syria’s transitional President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and the SDF ended recent clashes and outlined integration into state institutions. The deal grants Damascus authority over oil fields, provides for the appointment of a new governor in Hasakah, places civil institutions under state administration, replaces heavy military deployments in Ain al-Arab (Kobani) with a locally recruited civilian force, and allows SDF members to join the Ministry of Defense individually after security screening, while preserving administrative autonomy in Kurdish-majority areas.