Syria is planning to double its output of natural gas production by 2005, said the country’s oil minister, Mohammed Maher Jamal, in an interview with the local daily Al Hayat.
Jamal said he expected gas production to increase to 24 million cubic meters (mcm) in 2005 compared to around 13 mcm produced currently. He added that the gas output would increase gradually as new projects come on line.
He also said Syria was planning to produce 29 million tons of crude oil (around 600,000 barrels per day) in 2000 of which about 12 million tons would be available for export.
The minister said that the Syria’s most important task at hand is to increase the availability of oil reserves so that output can be raised between 10 and 30 percent. According to Jamal Syria's current oil and gas reserves would enable the country to continue producing for another two decades at least
Syria is planning to build its third oil refinery with a capacity of 140,000 barrels per day and could produce about 7 million tons per year of oil products. Another project involves transporting about three mcm of gas per day to Lebanon to be used in generating electricity.— (AlBawaba-MEBG)
© 2000 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
