Representatives of the energy ministries in Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon discussed ways to activate the “Arab Gas Pipeline,” in a step aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in the energy sector and securing gas supplies to Beirut.
The Syrian Ministry of Energy announced in a statement on Friday that a technical meeting was held via video conference, where timetables for the start of trial operation were discussed. Assistant Minister of Energy for Oil Affairs, Ghayath Diab, confirmed the readiness of the Syrian network after completing technical checks along the path from the Jordanian border to the Lebanese border.
Diab stressed the strategic importance of the project, considering it a vital artery that supports economic integration, and pointed out that Syria continues to play its role as an energy transit country in the region.
The Syrian Minister of Energy, Muhammad al-Bashir, had stated that the resumption of gas pumping through Jordan, in addition to maintenance work and the development of electricity management, had contributed to achieving stability of the electrical network in most parts of Syria.
This move comes in the context of developments taking place in the energy sector in the Middle East, as countries in the region seek to revive joint infrastructure projects, the most important of which is the “Arab Gas Pipeline,” which extends from Egypt through Jordan and Syria to Lebanon.
In a related context, in January, Jordan and Syria signed an agreement to supply Syria with about 4 million cubic meters of gas per day, with the aim of supporting the electricity sector and alleviating the energy crisis.
Despite the progress achieved, there are still challenges facing the project, the most important of which is securing the necessary funding to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure, as it is estimated that more than 70% of the pipeline network has been damaged as a result of the conflict.
A previous report by the Financial Times also stated that part of the gas expected to be pumped may be from an Israeli source, given Jordan’s reliance on gas imported from the Leviathan field, which raises questions about the sources of the gas.
Officials in the three countries hope that activating the project will contribute to improving the electricity situation in Lebanon, in addition to supporting the stability of the electrical network in Syria, with expectations of additional progress in the coming weeks with the completion of technical procedures.
