Energy Minister withdraws authority to qualify oil companies from t Petroleum Company

Minister of Energy Mohamad al-Bashir, issued a decision transferring the authority to qualify companies operating in the oil and gas sector from the Qualification Committee of the Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC) to the Ministry of Energy. This decision followed an oversight tour that revealed the awarding of contracts in Deir ez-Zor fields to unqualified companies. The aim is to centralize the verification of companies' eligibility, history, and operational capabilities before contracting with them.

This decision restructures the selection mechanism, making the Ministry the sole authority for awarding contracts. A representative from the Syrian Petroleum Company will remain in an advisory role within a collective decision-making process, a step intended to separate qualification authority from implementation authority.