June 03, 2024 10:58 GMT
Algeria Faces Challenge to Boost Gas Output to 200bcm
NATGAS
Algeria faces a challenge to obtain sufficient investment to achieve plans to boost gas production by around 45% to 200bcm before the end of the decade amid waning EU demand according to Montel sources last week.
- The production increase would help meet growing domestic and export demand in addition to current pipeline supplies to Italy and Spain according to Energy minister Mohamed Arkab.
- Increased output could help to diversify exports, such as recent LNG shipped to Turkey and Croatia.
- Marketable gas output is currently around 104bcm/year with some of the 137bcm/year production reinjected to maintain output levels.
- “More investments are required to touch this level” said Choeib Boutamine at Ranadrill Energy, “enticing more investors is a must.”
- Algeria has conventional gas reserves of around 4.2tcm, but unconventional reserves of roughly 20tcm, he added. ExxonMobil last week signed a contract with Sonatrach to develop hydrocarbon resources in Algeria.
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