In his reply on the question about future plans for Shell Syria Henley said “My work as a Country Chair for Shell Syria is to continue the good work that has been done before and to maintain the AFPC’s excellent performance in both Production and Safety”. “In addition to that,” he added “we look forward to support the growth of Shell in Syria through continuous cooperation with our Syrian partners. ”

Henley stressed that Shell is one of the biggest international investors in Syria in the Oil & Gas Industry and through the years we performed with integrity and respect to our partners, to our staff and with commitment to our meet our promises. Through the years, we built a strong relationship with the Syrian Government, something that we value tremendously as we continue to support our joint venture: Al-Furat Petroleum Company and to grow Shell business in Syria.

Regarding the update on exploration Blocks 13 and 15 and the new blocks that were announced by Oil Ministry is there any interest for Shell to bid? Syria Shell Manger said ” In Blocks 13 & 15 we committed to drill four exploration wells. We drilled two wells and we are waiting for the results to be evaluated. The other two exploration wells are at the planning stage with work on the first of these expected to commence shortly. So this exploration is on going and it’s too early to speculate about results.”

“We are also actively studying other exploration opportunities, such as the eight new onshore exploration blocks, which were recently announced by the Oil Ministry for the next bid round”, he added.

On regard to his Feedback on how does he find the investment environment here in Syria Henley said ” I’m here only for short time, but my understanding which was built up through the discussions that I’ve had so far is that this is a very good place to do business in that we and other oil company are treated fairly by the ministry and other government agencies. Contracts and other agreements are honored and that is very important in a good business environment. Shell has a very good position in Syria we have big company AFPC and we need to build on that”

“We are proud of what we achieved through our presence for 25 years in Syria, the knowledge we brought in and transfer of technology at AFPC, the high business standards, the international safety procedures, this is all recognized at AFPC and appreciated by the Syria Government as well as our employees in AFPC and SSPD. ” he added

“I’m looking for a fruitful cooperation in order to develop our business in Syria; Syria has strategic location and great history, which enable it to play a major role in the trade industry and transportation – as I drove to Palmyra recently I was shown one of the camel caravan rest points on the old Silk Road. Centuries after the Silk Road was established, I do see Syria’s potential as a transit route for oil and gas which I’m sure will be realized with the determination of the Syrian Government and the national human capital who plays a great role in the development process. ” he said

He went on “What I’ve also seen and am very proud of is Shell in Syria’s commitment to social performance and social development initiatives, for example the Intelaqqah Program. Its one of our biggest achievements – I think almost 600 young people have passed through our entrepreneurial skills development courses. There is also a lot of work being done in safety campaigns too – for example more than 60,000 children in the area of our operations have been briefed on road safety and environment issues. That to me is a very good thing because it reduces the risk of accidents – not only involving our vehicles but all vehicles on the road. Its part of our responsibility as a good corporate citizen.”

In regard to CNPC deal with Shell Henley highlighted that “As you know, Shell has been present in Syria since the 1940s and been a shareholder in AFPC for some 25 years. Since 2005 CNPC also had an interest in AFPC through its 50% ownership of Himalaya Energy Syria BV.
He said “Recently, Shell and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) have signed an agreement to transfer 35% of Shell’s interest in Syria Shell Petroleum Development (SSPD) to China National Petroleum Corporation, which enables CNPC to more actively participate in developing AFPC and to be represented at AFPC board. This is part of the global cooperation between Shell and CNPC which has also yielded separate deals in Australia, Qatar and China itself) “.
He added “CNPC has been actively investing in the Syrian upstream market in recent years through Kawkab and, like Shell are seeking to invest and grow their business. This makes CNPC an ideal partner for Shell in Syria”

He stressed that Shell has had several meetings with our Syrian partners before and after the agreement with CNPC was signed. We have not only explained to them the benefits of the deal but also reiterated Shell’s continuing commitment to bring value to AFPC through the deployment of Shell technology and business processes as well as the deployment of Shell Expert staff into AFPC.

In summary, Henley added that he is very much looking forward to his assignment in Syria – a country that he has hoped to live and work in since a short visit many years ago. He is impressed by today’s business environment and the excellent cooperation with the Oil Ministry, GPC and other government agencies. His first priority will be continue Shell’s support to the outstanding performance of AFPC and their continued delivery against production, safety and commitments. He hopes that this will provide a platform to grow Shell’s business in Syria through continuing exploration and through the pursuit of other business opportunities with the Syrian Government.

Henley gave a Background on his personal life as he said :

I have been working for Shell for 27 Years, and even though I’m British I have not worked in England. Shell gave me the opportunity to move to many locations such as Netherlands, Russia, Scotland, Brunei, Malaysia, Oman and most recently in Nigeria. I visited Syria in 1998 as part of a sharing best practices programme between Oman and Syria. During that visit I was very impressed with the living and working environment in Damascus and always hoped to return so I was delighted with the opportunity to take up the role of Shell Country Chair in Syria.

My background is engineering and I have previously worked in technical functions, project management, oil & gas field development and corporate planning.

I’m here with my wife and two sons and they are enjoying Syria.