The Syrian Petroleum Company said an explosion early Tuesday, August 18, on the gas export pipeline from the al-Jabsa Gas Plant (southern Hasakah governorate, northeastern Syria) halted gas pumping through the line.

Initial investigation findings indicated that the explosion was likely caused by deliberate sabotage.

Impact on Fuel Supply to Power Turbines

The company said in a statement issued around midnight on Tuesday that immediately after the explosion, wells were isolated, valves were closed, and the site was fully secured. It confirmed that no workers were injured.

It added that its teams began repair work in the first hours after the site was secured and the necessary equipment was made available.

The company said work is continuing around the clock to return the pipeline to service as quickly as possible.

According to the company, the interruption of gas flows affected the fuel supply to several electricity generation turbines. It said it is coordinating with the Syrian Electricity Company to compensate for the shortage through available alternatives.

The relevant authorities, according to the company, followed up on the incident and inspected the site immediately after the explosion. Preliminary investigations concluded that the blast resulted from “deliberate sabotage.”

The company added that it is continuing, in coordination with the relevant authorities, to complete the investigations and pursue those responsible for the incident, while taking additional measures to strengthen protection for its oil and gas facilities and transmission pipelines.

It said work would continue until the pipeline is restored to service and urged the public not to circulate information from unofficial sources.

The incident comes months after maintenance and repair work was carried out on gas pipelines connected to the al-Jabsa plant.

In April 2026, the Syrian Petroleum Company announced that repairs had been completed on the gas pipeline between Markada (southern Hasakah countryside) and the al-Jabsa plant, as part of efforts to maintain uninterrupted gas transportation.

Gas pipelines running from the plant have also been subjected to explosions and attacks in previous years, temporarily halting gas pumping before repairs restored operations.

Third Turbine Restarted Months Earlier

In late April, the al-Shaddadi Area Administration and the al-Jabsa Fields Directorate announced the restart of the third turbine at the al-Jabsa gas field in al-Shaddadi (southern Hasakah countryside), after a shutdown lasting more than four months.

The administration said at the time that each turbine had a production capacity of about 10 megawatts, in a step aimed at increasing electricity production and improving supply in the area.

The al-Jabsa Gas Plant, located in southern Hasakah countryside near al-Shaddadi, is one of the most prominent gas production facilities in northeastern Syria. It plays an important role in supplying gas to power generation stations and supporting the region’s energy system.

The plant began operating gradually during 2019 and 2020 as part of projects to develop gas fields in the area, with the first turbines brought online and connected to the electricity grid.

The plant helps supply al-Shaddadi and its surrounding countryside, extending to southern Hasakah and Markada, while also supporting parts of the electricity grid across the governorate.

Production levels vary depending on operations and maintenance work.

At times, output has reached tens of megawatts, improving electricity supply hours in several towns and villages.

Another Incident in Syria’s Energy Sector

The al-Jabsa explosion came just hours after another incident in Syria’s energy sector.

Three workers died on Tuesday, August 18, after an explosion in a tank at the Baniyas thermal power plant in Baniyas (Tartous governorate, western Syria), while routine maintenance work was being carried out inside the facility.

The Baniyas Area Administration said the explosion occurred in one of the hydrogen compressors in the plant’s hydrogen section.

The incident killed three workers, while Civil Defense teams intervened to deal with the emergency and secure the site.

The administration added that the director of the Baniyas area conducted a field visit to the explosion site to examine the circumstances of the incident.