Russia and Iran share oil in areas under Damascus government control

In the process of sharing quotas in the Syrian oil fields, the Russian forces operating in Syria entrusted the investment of Al-Taym and Al-Ward oil fields, in Deir Ezzor governorate, to the Arvada Company, which last year Damascus allowed it to establish two oil refineries (Rusafa) to refine heavy oil and (Al-Sahel) ) to refine condensate oil.

Media sources in Deir Ezzor said that a meeting was held at Deir Ezzor Military Airport, between Russian officers and the Syrian businessman Husam Qatirji, at 39, and his assistant Hussein Al-Satam Al-Sultan, during which Al-Qatirji, owner of Arvada Company, signed an investment contract for oil wells, Al-Taym and Al-Ward with the Russian forces for five years.

Arfada, established in Damascus in 2018, is owned by the brothers: Hussam Qatirji owns 34% of the company’s shares, Muhammad Baraa Katerji owns 33% and Ahmed Bashir Katerji  owns 33%.

Arvada is the first private sector company to obtain a presidential license to establish two oil refineries last year, in partnership with the Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources in Damascus, which owns 15 percent of the partnership shares, while the Lebanese Sallizar Shipping Company owns 5 percent, and the Arvada company 80%.

The Russian forces obliged the investment of al-Taym and al-Ward fields in Deir al-Zour to the Hussam al-Qatirji company, while al-Hassian and al-Hamar fields in al-Bukamal countryside remained under the control of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which refused to hand them over to the Russian forces, under the pretext of signing investment contracts with Damascus for a period of ten years.

Russian forces have controlled the fields of al-Taym and al-Ward in Deir al-Zor since last summer, while Iranian groups have controlled the fields of al-Hassian and al-Hamar in the countryside of al-Bukamal, since ISIS mercenaries were expelled from them in 2017.

According to Syrian government figures, al-Taym field produces 2,500 barrels per day, while Deir Ezzor fields, which are under the control of the Damascus government and its allies, reach 4,600 barrels per day.

Al-Qaterji groups recruited more than a thousand young men from the eastern region, Shumaytiyah, Maadan, Al-Sabkha and Al-Bukamal, in their ranks, in exchange for monthly salaries estimated at 225,000 Syrian Pounds with a food basket, equivalent to ($ 60). Qatirji groups deployed in the Sufyan al-Rusafa field, south of Raqqa, to al-Hasakah, are responsible for protecting and escorting the tanks and protecting oil wells.

Qatirji brothers are considered among the Syrian money whales that appeared during the war, and one of the most important economic arms of the Damascus government.

J,O

ANHA