Total’s chief executive officer Christophe de Margerie, who is in Syria as part of the delegation attached to French President Nicholas Sarkozy's official visit, says the memorandum of understanding signed with Syrian Petroleum Company and Syrian Gas Company will lead to the development of common projects.

The Paris-based company also renewed its Deir el-Zour permit for 10 years to 2021, as expected, enabling further production from the Jafra, Qahar and Atalla fields (MEED 3:9:08).

The final agreement covers enhancing output from the Tabiyeh gas and condensate field to increase gas deliveries for the domestic market.

Total’s oil production in Syria amounted to 29,000-barrels-a-day (b/d) in 2007.