MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The militants of the Daesh terrorist group (outlawed in many countries) control nearly 80 percent of oil fields and most gas deposits in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian Gas Company representative in the region, Amin Hamid, told Sputnik.
"At the moment, nearly 80 percent of oil resources in Deir ez-Zor are under IS [Daesh] control. As regards gas deposits, almost all of them are still under control of terrorists. All the plants and gas fields, which I refer to, are located on the other side of the Euphrates [the northern part of Deir ez-Zor] — this is Conoco, Omar, Jafra, Al-Isba and Tanak, and most gas processing plants are also located there."
The representative noted that the infrastructure of gas fields had been significantly damaged.
"According to our data, the terrorists have completely destroyed the infrastructure in the Omar and Tanak gas fields, a part of the facilities in Conoco have been destroyed as well… Reconstruction of gas fields' infrastructure is possible, but the damages may be assessed only when we are able to visit this places and hold careful examination," Hamid said.
He added that the terrorists had blown up the gas pipeline in the south-east of Deir ez-Zor, connecting Conoco gas station with Homs.
The gas company's representative noted that liberation of gas fields in the Deir-ez Zor province and reconstruction of its infrastructure would significantly improve electricity supplies to the local population across the country. He added that Conoco was the third biggest gas deposit in Syria, which accounted for 35 percent of before the war. The gas deposit used to produce up to 2 million cubic meters (71 million cubic feet) of gas per day.
Daesh terrorists gained control over Deir ez-Zor's gas and oil fields in April 2014. Earlier in September, Syrian government troops supported by Russian Aerospace Forces lifted the blockade around Deir ez-Zor maintained by Daesh for several years. The Syrian forces' operation on liberating the city from the militants is currently underway.
