The UK/Dutch oil major Shell Group has shut down operations in Syria following the EU’s decision to ramp up sanctions on the Mediterranean country due to the brutal crackdown by security forces on anti-government protests.

The EU voted to extend its black list on 2 December to include state-owned General Petroleum Corporation (GPC), Syria Trading Oil and Al-Furat Petroleum, increasing pressure on Damascus.

Al-Furat Petroleum is a joint venture company of GPC, which holds a 50 per cent stake, Syria Shell Petroleum Development (SSPD), which holds 32 per cent and Chinese-Indian joint venture Himalaya Energy Syria.

French oil firm Total, however has said it is not withdrawing from Syria. Its Syrian partner Deir Ez Zor Petroleum is not on the EU blacklist.

EU member states were banned from making fresh investments in Syria’s oil sector in September adding to restrictions on oil imports from the country (MEED 22:9:11).

According to UK oil major BP, Syria produced about 385,000 barrels a day (b/d) of crude oil in 2010. Net exports were estimated at 109,000 b/d in 2010.