Syria began energy exports to Lebanon in late May, according to Beirut-based Future News, sending the first batch of 2,000 tons of liquefied natural gas from the Mediterranean port of Banias, while a second batch of 3,000 tons was set to leave for Lebanon soon.
The problem here is that Syria does not have the facilities necessary to export liquefied natural gas (LNG). Doing so requires extensive cooling and collecting infrastructure with a price tag around $1 billion. The discrepancy likely is due to a bad translation of the news report, which really should have said that Syria is exporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which the country does have the facilities to process. LPG is used throughout the Middle East as a cooking fuel, especially in areas with relatively modest infrastructures.
Lebanon imports virtually all of its energy, and despite its small size, it is one of the more vibrant economies in the Middle East. Exporting gas will send much-needed hard currency to Syrian coffers, but Damascus also has strategic reasons to become an energy supplier.
The problem here is that Syria does not have the facilities necessary to export liquefied natural gas (LNG). Doing so requires extensive cooling and collecting infrastructure with a price tag around $1 billion. The discrepancy likely is due to a bad translation of the news report, which really should have said that Syria is exporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which the country does have the facilities to process. LPG is used throughout the Middle East as a cooking fuel, especially in areas with relatively modest infrastructures.
Lebanon imports virtually all of its energy, and despite its small size, it is one of the more vibrant economies in the Middle East. Exporting gas will send much-needed hard currency to Syrian coffers, but Damascus also has strategic reasons to become an energy supplier.