The reconstruction of Syria's energy infrastructure is set to accelerate following US President Donald Trump's announcement that sanctions on Damascus will be lifted.
Speaking at the 2025 Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh during his Gulf tour, Trump stated that Washington would roll back longstanding sanctions imposed on Syria, shifting attention to how the capital's energy demands will be met in the post-sanctions environment.
The US first imposed sanctions in August 2011, targeting Syria's oil exports in response to the Assad regime's violent crackdown on protesters. The measures barred American citizens from engaging in oil-related transactions and prohibited the import of Syrian crude.
Compounding these restrictions, the 2020 Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act imposed sweeping sanctions not only on the Assad regime but also on foreign governments and companies doing business with it.
Although much of the law became effectively obsolete following the regime's collapse, its continued legal standing has deterred foreign investment and engagement.
Trump now plans to exercise his waiver authority under the Caesar Act as an initial move. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that if sufficient progress is achieved, the administration could seek congressional approval to lift sanctions entirely.
- Syria's energy infrastructure severely damaged
Years of civil war and international sanctions have decimated Syria's energy sector.
Prior to the conflict, the country produced roughly 350,000 barrels of oil per day, according to regime data.
Output has since plunged to below 90,000 barrels daily, with widespread damage reported across natural gas pipelines, processing plants, and the national electricity grid.
Efforts to expand renewable energy capacity have stalled amid a lack of foreign investment, limited access to technology, and misaligned political priorities, leaving the sector largely underdeveloped.
- "T眉rkiye provides strong support"
Oguzhan Akyener, TESPAM president, highlighted that the lifting of US sanctions will significantly accelerate efforts to rebuild Syria's energy infrastructure.
"Syria holds an estimated 7 billion barrels of recoverable oil reserves and notable natural gas potential," Akyener said, adding that renewable energy development is also feasible under improved political and economic conditions.
He emphasized that restoring the country's electricity infrastructure is the immediate priority.
"T眉rkiye is already providing strong support to ease this transition," he noted. "With sanctions lifted, the broader reconstruction of Syria's energy systems鈥攆rom electricity grids to oil and gas facilities鈥攃an now progress at a faster pace."
Akyener also highlighted T眉rkiye's strategic role in the process, citing its capacity to deliver multi-faceted support packages.
These include the repair and reconstruction of energy infrastructure, electricity supply, establishment of natural gas cycle power plants, and the evaluation and development of hydrocarbon resources.
- "Syria's oil production to reach around 110,000 bpd"
Oil production in Syria is poised to resume following former US President Donald Trump's announcement on lifting sanctions, Jorge Leon, senior vice president at Norway-based consultancy Rystad Energy, told Anadolu.
"In the short term, we expect the country's production to reach around 110,000 barrels per day (bpd) from the current levels of around 90,000 bpd. The long running war has disrupted the upstream activities, supply chains, port facilities, and refineries," Leon said.
"These factors will have a far-reaching impact on significant recovery of production from oil fields. Therefore, we expect a modest increase in production in the next five years," he added.
- Lasting political solution remains essential
Kate Dourian, a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, noted that lifting US sanctions will not be enough to trigger a short-term revival in Syria's energy sector.
"The lifting of sanctions by the US is significant but it is not likely to lead to a revival of the oil and gas industry for some time as this will require a lasting political solution that will satisfy the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast," Dourian said.
She also marked that T眉rkiye has expressed willingness to participate in Syria's reconstruction, viewing a stable Syria as a potential transit route for Middle Eastern natural gas to Europe.
She added that Gulf nations could also contribute to the rebuilding effort through targeted investments in infrastructure and energy.
By Duygu Alhan
Anadolu Agency