Damascus, Sept. 13 (SANA) Syria has temporarily raised prices for gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products as surging global refined-fuel costs and a major overhaul at Baniyas Refinery increase the country’s reliance on imports, the Energy Ministry said.
The new prices, which took effect at midnight Sunday, set 95-octane gasoline at SYP 195 per liter (about $1.60), 90-octane gasoline at SYP 185 per liter ($1.52) and diesel at SYP 175 per liter ($1.43), based on an exchange rate of SYP 122 to the dollar. Household LPG was set at SYP 1,600 (about $13.11), while industrial LPG was priced at SYP 2,560 ($20.98).
The ministry said the increase reflected a combination of international market pressures and domestic supply constraints rather than higher crude oil prices alone.
Global refined-fuel markets have been squeezed by reduced refining capacity in Russia and the Middle East, disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandab, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and rising freight and insurance costs.
Those pressures have pushed diesel prices to nearly $1,400 per ton and gasoline to around $1,350 per ton, according to prices monitored by the ministry, while Brent crude has been trading near $100 a barrel.
Baniyas overhaul increases import needs
The global pressures coincide with a comprehensive overhaul of Baniyas Refinery, expected to last around two months, temporarily reducing Syria’s domestic refining capacity and increasing the need for imported petroleum products.
Syria currently requires around 300,000 barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products, compared with domestic crude production of roughly 100,000 barrels per day, the ministry said.
Imports account for about 60% of Syria’s daily diesel supply. The country requires around 7.72 million liters of diesel a day, of which 4.63 million liters are imported and 3.09 million liters are produced domestically, according to the ministry.
Daily gasoline supplies average 2.32 million liters, including around 775,000 liters of imports, while household LPG supplies average about 912 tons a day, with imports also accounting for a significant share.
The ministry said some domestically produced Syrian crude is heavy and is not fully compatible with the capabilities and specifications of existing refineries, limiting the extent to which local crude can replace imported gasoline and diesel.
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