Syria Mediterranean Block 3 has drawn three of the world’s largest upstream operators into a single exploration consortium, with TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy, and ConocoPhillips signing a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC) to assess hydrocarbon potential in the eastern Mediterranean.
The MoU covers a technical review of the offshore block and establishes a framework for commercial and exploration discussions. Block 3 lies in the Levantine Basin, offshore the Syrian port city of Latakia, at water depths ranging from 100 to 1,700 metres.
Syria Mediterranean Block 3: What the MoU Covers
The agreement does not commit any party to a drilling programme. It gives the consortium access to existing subsurface data on the block and a structured basis for deciding whether to progress to a formal exploration licence. The signing ceremony took place at QatarEnergy’s headquarters in Doha, attended by senior executives from all four parties.
Julien Pouget, Senior Vice President for Middle East and North Africa E&P at TotalEnergies, noted that the company had a working relationship with SPC between 1988 and 2011 — a period that ended with the onset of Syria’s civil conflict. The partnership with QatarEnergy and ConocoPhillips represents TotalEnergies’ return to Syrian waters for the first time in fifteen years.
TotalEnergies’ existing eastern Mediterranean footprint is relevant context. The company signed a separate MoU with Türkiye’s national operator TPAO in April 2026 for Black Sea exploration, signalling a broader regional push at a time when TotalEnergies is actively expanding its upstream exposure across the MENA corridor.
QatarEnergy’s International Growth Strategy
For QatarEnergy, the Block 3 MoU is consistent with an international upstream strategy that has seen the Doha-headquartered NOC take equity positions across Africa, the Americas, and Southeast Asia over the past four years. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs and QatarEnergy’s President and CEO, framed the move as part of a deliberate growth mandate.
ConocoPhillips joins as the third international partner. The Houston-headquartered independent has been selectively active in eastern Mediterranean licensing rounds over the past decade and brings deepwater technical capability relevant to the 1,700-metre lower end of Block 3’s depth range.
Syria Mediterranean Block 3 and the Levantine Basin Opportunity
The Levantine Basin has attracted sustained operator interest since substantial offshore gas discoveries were confirmed in Israeli and Cypriot waters in the 2010s. Lebanon has conducted licensing rounds — albeit stalled by political and financial instability — and Syria’s coastline sits at the northern end of the same geological fairway.
The Arab Gas Pipeline, which historically linked Egyptian gas supplies through Jordan, Syria, and into Lebanon, illustrates the degree to which Syria was once integrated into regional energy infrastructure. That infrastructure largely fell dormant during the conflict years. The Block 3 MoU is the first material signal that international operators are prepared to re-engage with Syrian upstream opportunities under the country’s new political dispensation.
No timeline has been indicated for converting the MoU into a production sharing agreement or formal exploration licence. The technical review phase will determine whether subsurface data justifies the next step. For terminal and storage operators tracking eastern Mediterranean gas development, Syria Mediterranean Block 3 represents a potential long-cycle supply source — relevant to LNG export infrastructure planning in the wider region but unlikely to produce first gas before the early 2030s at the earliest.
Peer activity in the basin provides a benchmark. Eni holds exploration acreage in Cypriot waters and has reported encouraging results from wells in the region, while Shell and BP have both been active in adjacent Mediterranean blocks in 2026.
QatarEnergy confirmed the signing at its Doha headquarters. Full details are available via the QatarEnergy newsroom.
What is Syria Mediterranean Block 3?
Block 3 is an offshore exploration block in the Levantine Basin of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, located off the Syrian city of Latakia. Water depths across the block range from 100 to 1,700 metres.
Who signed the Block 3 MoU?
TotalEnergies, QatarEnergy, and ConocoPhillips signed a memorandum of understanding with Syria’s state-owned Syrian Petroleum Company (SPC) in May 2026 covering the exploration of Block 3.
Does the MoU commit the companies to drilling?
No. The MoU establishes a framework for a technical review of existing subsurface data and for commercial discussions. It does not commit any party to a drilling programme or exploration licence.
Why is the Levantine Basin significant for oil and gas exploration?
The Levantine Basin has seen major offshore gas discoveries in Israeli and Cypriot waters since the 2010s. Syria’s coastline sits at the northern end of the same geological fairway, making Block 3 a prospective target for hydrocarbon exploration.
When did TotalEnergies last operate in Syria?
TotalEnergies previously had a working relationship with the Syrian Petroleum Company from 1988 to 2011, when operations ended due to the onset of Syria’s civil conflict. The 2026 MoU marks the company’s re-engagement with Syrian upstream assets.