ConocoPhillips Signs Gas Production Deal with Syria
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 4 days ago
0mins
Source: seekingalpha
- Contract Signing: ConocoPhillips (COP) is set to sign a contract this week with Syria, becoming the first U.S. oil and gas major to engage with the country's new government, marking a significant return of American firms to the Syrian energy market.
- Field Development: Under the agreement with the state-owned Syrian Petroleum Company, ConocoPhillips and Novaterra Energy will develop existing gas fields and explore new ones, building on a memorandum of understanding signed last November, which aims to attract foreign investment into Syria's energy sector.
- Production Increase Expectations: The Syrian government indicated that the potential deal could boost gas production by 4 to 5 million cubic meters per day within a year, representing a significant increase for a country whose output has plummeted by two-thirds from its pre-war high of 30 million cubic meters per day in 2011.
- Improving Investment Climate: The signing of this contract is part of a broader effort by the Syrian government to attract foreign investment, aiming to revive an energy sector severely impacted by years of civil war and sanctions, signaling a gradual recovery of the Syrian market.
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Analyst Views on COP
Wall Street analysts forecast COP stock price to rise
19 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
3 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 111.210
Low
98.00
Averages
115.67
High
133.00
Current: 111.210
Low
98.00
Averages
115.67
High
133.00
About COP
ConocoPhillips is an exploration and production company. Its Alaska segment primarily explores for, produces, transports and markets crude oil, natural gas and NGLs. The Lower 48 segment consists of operations located in the 48 contiguous states in the United States and the Gulf of Mexico. Canadian operations consist of the Surmont oil sands development in Alberta, the liquids-rich Montney unconventional play in British Columbia and commercial operations. The Europe, Middle East and North Africa segment consists of operations principally located in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, Qatar, Libya, Equatorial Guinea and commercial and terminalling operations in the United Kingdom. Asia Pacific segment has exploration and production operations in China, Malaysia, Australia and commercial operations in China, Singapore and Japan. Other International segment includes interests in Colombia as well as contingencies associated with prior operations in other countries.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Financial Health Status: ConocoPhillips reported a net income of approximately $8 billion with a net margin of 13%, despite a decline from 16.2% in 2024, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.4 indicates a moderate level of borrowing that ensures operational stability; in contrast, Viper Energy's free cash flow was close to negative $1.3 billion, indicating severe financial challenges.
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- Viper Energy Business Model: Viper Energy, primarily reliant on Diamondback Energy, reported nearly $1.4 billion in revenue for FY 2025, a 62% increase, but faced a net loss of $68 million, reflecting challenges in mineral rights income and market volatility risks.
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See More
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- Partnership Structure: In the Troll West Increased Gas Recovery project, Equinor holds a 30.55% stake, while Petoro owns 55.93%, with Shell, TotalEnergies, and ConocoPhillips holding 8.19%, 3.69%, and 1.64% respectively, showcasing a strong collaborative effort.
- Production Expectations: The project is expected to contribute around 11 billion standard cubic meters of gas, ensuring sustained high production from Troll A and Kollsnes until 2030, meeting approximately 10% of Europe's gas needs.
- Production Goals: Equinor aims to produce 1.3 million barrels per day from the Norwegian continental shelf by 2035, with the project implementation designed to reduce costs through process simplification and reuse of existing infrastructure, thereby promoting job creation and value generation.
See More
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- Market Rally: The S&P 500 rose 1.08%, the Dow Jones increased by 0.14%, and the Nasdaq 100 surged 2.48% as optimism over the US-Iran peace deal eased inflation risks, reflecting a positive market sentiment.
- Chip Sector Surge: Intel's stock jumped over 10% after President Trump announced a partnership with Apple to design and produce semiconductors domestically, leading the iShares Semiconductor ETF to rise more than 7%, indicating strong momentum in the tech sector.
- Energy Stocks Weaken: WTI crude oil prices fell to a 3.5-month low, causing significant declines in energy stocks, with SLB, ConocoPhillips, and Halliburton dropping over 3%, highlighting concerns over energy price volatility.
- Supportive Economic Data: Initial jobless claims fell to 226,000, close to the expected 225,000, indicating labor market strength, while the Philadelphia Fed business outlook index rose to 10.3, surpassing expectations, further boosting investor confidence.
See More
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- Energy ETF Performance: The Vanguard Energy ETF has delivered a 25% return year-to-date but has lost about 11% of its value since reaching an all-time high on March 27, indicating uncertainty in the future of energy stocks amid geopolitical tensions.
- Market Reaction: The S&P 500 index is up 10.4% year-to-date and has gained about 19% since hitting a 2026 low on March 30, but this may be bad news for energy stocks as the Vanguard Energy ETF and the S&P 500 have been moving in opposite directions since late March.
- Investment Advice: Although the Vanguard Energy ETF has achieved an average annual return of 21.1% over the past five years, the complex situation in the Middle East suggests that oil prices could plummet in the future, leading to a recommendation for long-term investors to be cautious and avoid heavy investments in oil stocks.
See More
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- Market Rebound: The signing of a preliminary deal by President Trump to end the US-Iran war has driven crude oil prices to a 3.5-month low, resulting in a broad market rally with the S&P 500 up 0.99% and the Nasdaq 100 up 2.16%, indicating a resurgence in risk appetite among investors.
- Chip Stocks Lead Gains: Intel shares surged 7% after Trump announced a partnership with Apple to design and produce semiconductors domestically, propelling the entire semiconductor sector higher, with the iShares Semiconductor ETF rising over 5%, reflecting strong investor confidence in tech stocks.
- Energy Stocks Under Pressure: Crude oil prices fell more than 3%, putting pressure on energy producers, with major companies like ExxonMobil and Chevron experiencing declines, highlighting market concerns regarding the energy sector's outlook amid falling oil prices.
- Supportive Economic Data: Initial jobless claims in the US fell to 226,000, close to the expected 225,000, indicating labor market resilience, while the Philadelphia Fed business outlook index rose to 10.3, exceeding expectations, further bolstering market optimism.
See More
