Only someone well versed in military Affairs, are able to differentiate between two pillars of black smoke rising in the middle of the Mesopotamian plains into Syria. One could appear as a result of bombing or burning of tires in order to restrict the visibility of enemy aircraft, ready to release their missiles. Second, without a doubt, rises from a makeshift plant for processing of oil: a huge tank with burning oil connected to the well through which it is extracted. Such emissions cause the environment irreparable harm.
That was the processed oil during the greater part of the war. There is no groups who would have seized oil fields in Syria, even though they are not the richest in comparison with deposits in neighbouring countries. Additionally, there are groups that would not sell crude oil and gasoline even of their enemies. For them fuel like oxygen. The money the group bought more guns and ammunition. From “al-Qaeda” to the Kurdish fighters and the “Islamic state” (banned in Russia organization — approx. ed.), all engaged in business, owing to which some participants of the Syrian conflict has benefited.
70 percent of oil wells in Syria, located in the fields of Rolan and al-Omar to the East of the country, are now in the territory controlled by the Autonomous Kurdish informal authorities. But protect them by American soldiers. When in the past year, Turkey has to convince Donald trump to allow her to fight against Kurdish militants, the President’s entourage, the U.S. used the oil fields as a lure to convince him not to withdraw all American troops.
“American soldiers are not in war zones or ceasefire. We ensure the security of oil fields. We will refund the soldiers home!” — trump wrote in October on the page in Twitter, while in the North of Syria began the chaos caused by the fighting between the Kurds and Arabs, supported by Ankara and accused of war crimes. His words were echoes from 15 years ago when a large American company has divided Iraq into pieces, before the tanks entered the country.
According to the online newspaper Al Monitor, the American company Delta Energy LLC Crescent received permission from Kurdish authorities, not recognised by any state “with the consent and support of the White house.” In the end, for signing the contract, modernisation of production systems and the construction of two modular refineries of oil, the US administration guaranteed the free Syria from sanctions.
Anyway, the oil reserves in Syria, where there are also gas pale in comparison with the inventory of neighbouring countries. “Their reserves are very small. Syria is on the 31st place in the global rating,” — said a trader in crude oil and energy markets analyst Tracy Shuchart (Tracy Shuchart). At the same time these stocks are the main source of wealth of the Kurdish and the Syrian authorities.
Before the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011 in the country a day produced 380 thousand barrels of oil — more than enough for domestic consumption. However, production fell to 60 thousand barrels per day, oil was processed in primitive conditions, and because of the war the price of it has increased. Therefore, the regions under the control of the government, even had to buy fuel from its ally, Iran. “Most oil fields have been destroyed by the rebels, and now there dump toxic waste. It will take millions to clean up and start again to use,” says Suchart.
Delta Crescent is quite famous in Syria. According to the publication Iraq Oil Report, one of its leaders John Dorrier (John Dorrier) previously founded a company Gulfsands Petroleum, which did not manage to catch the piece in Iraq, but in 2000-e years has managed to gain a foothold in Eastern Syria. Her partner was Sam Rami Makhlouf, a cousin of the current President Bashar al-Assad and Mogul caught up in the doghouse because of the economic crisis in Syria. In 2008, after the United States imposed sanctions against Makhlouf, Dorrier was forced to leave the company. Another partner, Jim Reese (Reese Jimm), which supports the stay of American troops in Syria. “We own the entire East of Syria”, — he said in an interview to Fox in 2018.
In 2018 Damascus gives Russia all the right to loot the Syrian oil and gas, so the Syrian authorities are categorically against “theft”, which trades American company. “Syria believes the agreement is invalid and warns militants who decided to become cheap pawns in the hands of the American occupiers, from committing similar malicious acts,” said Minister of foreign Affairs of Syria.
Turkey, which considers the Kurdish rebels “terrorists” because of their ties to the Kurdistan workers party, accused Washington of “financing of terrorism”. “We regret that the United States support them, thereby violating international law and territorial integrity of Syria,” criticizing the U.S. actions, even though she controls the Northern and Western regions of the country, citing the need to protect civilians and their territory.
One of the most important issues of the Treaty, according to which the Kurds will be able to process 20% of the oil they need is, who gets everything else, if neither Turkey, which Russia last year was accused of buying oil from Islamic state or the Syrian government will not receive access to these resources.
According to analysts, to get out of this situation will help Iraqi Kurdistan, under the strong influence of the USA and Turkey. “Most likely, oil in trucks crossing with the pipeline Kirkuk — Ceyhan and sell as Kurdish, Iraqi Kurdistan, so as to avoid sanctions,” says Suchart.
