SOCAR, Botas finalize preparations to launch Azerbaijani gas supplies to Syria on Aug 1 - media

BAKU. July 24 (Interfax) - Azerbaijani gas supplies to Syria are set to begin on August 1, for which Turkish state gas company Botas, together with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), are carrying out final tests and checks, the Turkish newspaper Aksam reported.

"Natural gas from Azerbaijan will be delivered to Syria via the Kilis pipeline via Turkey. On the Turkish side, the gas pipeline was extended from Kilis to the Syrian border. On the Syrian side, the technical connections of the pipeline have also been completed. Botas, together with SOCAR, is conducting final tests and checks before the launch of natural gas supply scheduled for August 1," the publication says.

In the first stage, 1.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas will be supplied to Syria annually. The gas will reach power plants in Aleppo and Homs, and will be used for electricity generation.

"This project aims to contribute to the restoration of Syria's damaged electrical infrastructure and to strengthening Turkey's goal of becoming a regional energy center," the report says.

The publication also says the Botas-SOCAR partnership envisages investments in oil and natural gas exploration, production and petrochemicals in northeastern Syria.

In addition, Azerbaijan will provide technical support for the modernization of Syria's worn energy infrastructure.

The government of the Syrian Arab Republic and SOCAR signed a memorandum of understanding in Baku on July 14. The memorandum includes cooperation and coordination in energy, the supply of natural gas to Syria via Turkey, and cooperation and coordination in oil exploration.

On July 5, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview with Turkish media outlets that Azerbaijan is ready to provide assistance to Syria in the supply of natural gas.

It was previously reported citing the Middle East publication that Syrian Transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev discussed Baku's potential involvement in rebuilding Syria's energy sector during their first bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a diplomatic forum in Antalya on April 11-13, 2025.

According to the publication, the new Syrian government is interested in SOCAR's participation in the reconstruction of the oil and gas sector, as well as in attracting SOCAR to develop oil and gas fields in the country's northeast.