Opinion: Syria's Oil Output Is Low, But Here's Why It Matters
What happens to the country's resources — once a revenue stream for ISIS — will be important not to world oil markets but to the future of Syria itself, write Roger Diwan and Daniel Yergin.
Roger Diwan is vice president of IHS Markit and director for energy and financial markets. Daniel Yergin is vice chairman of IHS Markit and author of The Prize and The Quest.
Syrian oil is suddenly a hot topic in Washington, D.C. The announcement that U.S. forces in Syria, while generally withdrawing, would remain to protect the oil fields has focused a spotlight on the significance of those resources.
Syrian oil has always been of prime importance to President Bashar Assad's regime. It provided about 25% of government revenues
