Norwegian company attempts to export Kurdistan Region oil through Syria

According to KurdPress, Norwegian company DNO, the largest oil producer in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, announced that it is examining the possibility of exporting the region's oil via Syria to the Mediterranean Sea; a route that could help sell Kurdistan Region oil at a higher price than local market rates.According to Reuters, Bijan Mosawar Rahmani, CEO of DNO, announced on Thursday, October 29, that the company is examining the options for using this route, given the possibility of transporting oil to the Mediterranean Sea via Syria. The route had been practically inaccessible in recent years due to the Syrian civil war.

DNO currently sells oil produced from the Tawke and Pishkhabur fields on the local market in the Kurdistan Region. The average selling price of this oil in the third quarter of this year reached $38.5 per barrel, which has increased compared to $31.2 in the same period last year; however, this price is still lower than international oil indices.Bijan Mosawar Rahmani said DNO is trying to re-supply its oil to international markets or somehow link its selling price to global oil indices.

The company also announced plans to expand drilling activities to increase production at the Tauka and Pishkhabur fields. The combined gross oil production of the two fields reached 77,621 barrels per day in the third quarter of this year.

Referring to the change in oil transportation routes in the region, the CEO of DNO said that some of the oil from southern Iraq is now transported by truck to Turkish pipelines and also to Syria for export from there. He added that these developments have made it necessary to examine alternative routes for transporting the company’s oil.In a related development, the United States in July 2026 backed a plan to revive an oil pipeline from northern Iraq to Syria’s Mediterranean coast. However, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that the project would require billions of dollars in investment and could take years to get underway.

The Syrian route is being explored as Kurdistan Region oil producers face restrictions on regaining access to international markets and higher prices. Using alternative oil routes could expand the region’s export options, although whether this goal will be achieved depends on the transportation infrastructure, political and security conditions, and the economic feasibility of the proposed routes.