Syrian Energy Minister to Visit Iraq for Talks on Reviving Kirkuk–Baniyas Oil Pipeline
Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed Bashir will visit Iraq to discuss restoring the Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline, potentially reviving a key oil export route. The talks aim to boost bilateral energy cooperation and Syria's refining capacity.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Syria’s Minister of Energy, Mohammed Bashir, announced that he will soon visit Iraq to discuss the potential restoration of the Kirkuk–Baniyas oil pipeline, in a bid to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector.
Speaking to the state-run “Akhbariya Syria” television channel, Bashir said the planned discussions will focus on rehabilitating the pipeline that links Iraq’s Kirkuk oilfields to the Syrian port of Baniyas. The project aims to transport crude oil to the refineries in Homs and Baniyas, or for direct export.
Bashir revealed that Syria is also exploring the establishment of a major company to oversee the production, transmission, and distribution of electricity within the country. However, he noted that creating such an entity will require time before moving into the implementation phase.
The minister reported that daily electricity supply hours across Syria have recently reached between eight and ten hours—a marked improvement after more than a decade without such levels of availability.
Bashir further disclosed that Syria has, in a short period, succeeded in restoring the gas pipeline to Turkey. Additionally, the government has secured support from the International Bank to assist in repairing the national electricity network, which is connected to neighboring countries.
He also announced the launch of a new oil refinery project, aimed at transitioning Syria from being solely an oil importer to becoming an exporter of petroleum derivatives.
