Chevron has signed a memorandum ‍of understanding, ‍or an initial agreement, with ​the Syrian Petroleum Company and the Qatari ⁠firm UCC Holding to evaluate exploration for oil ⁠and gas ‌offshore Syria, a spokesperson for the U.S. major said on Wednesday.

Syria's ⁠coast in the eastern Mediterranean lies between major gas discoveries in Israel and Egypt.

Chevron already operates ⁠the giant Leviathan ​gas field offshore Israel, the country's largest energy asset.

In 2013, ‍a Russian company, Soyuzneftegaz, signed a ​deal to explore offshore Syria but the project was dropped two years later amid years of a raging civil war in the country.

The majority of Syria's oil production comes from onshore fields in the northeast, such as the Al-Omar field.

UCC Holding ⁠is a unit of ‌Qatari-based Power International Holding, according to its website.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elimam ‌and Shadia ⁠Nasralla; Writing by Tala Ramadan and Firas ⁠Dalaaty; Editing by Louise Heavens)