LNG

Sonatrach, the Algerian state energy company and LNG producer, has signed an accord with French major TotalEnergies to expand cooperation in the exploration and production of natural gas and in the LNG business.

The Sonatrach-TotalEnergies memorandum of understanding outlines the realisation of a work programme for the appraisal and development of natural gas resources in the Northeast Timimoun region.

The accord includes synergies with existing processing facilities for production from the Timimoun field to reduce costs and emissions.

Sonatrach and TotalEnergies plan to “consolidate their partnership and expand their cooperation” in their gas resources and LNG business.

Sonatrach added that the accord “defines the framework of cooperation between the parties” with the objective of concluding a hydrocarbon contract in the identified area of ​​interest.

Interests

TotalEnergies is active in oil and gas exploration and production through its interests in the Tin Fouyé Tabankort (TFT) and Timimoun gas fields, the Berkine Basin oil fields (Blocks 404a and 208) and via LNG supply contracts with Sonatrach.

“Sonatrach and TotalEnergies operate, within the framework of association contracts, the contractual areas of TFT II, ​​TFT Sud, Timimoun and Berkine,” the statement noted.

These are among the largest gas fields Algeria and located in the prolific Illizi-Ghadames Basin.

Total and Sonatrach are also advancing with their petrochemical project development for Western Algeria.

“This memorandum of understanding reflects our shared willingness to expand our strategic partnership with Sonatrach,” explained Julien Pouget, Senior Vice President Middle East and North Africa, Exploration and Production at TotalEnergies.

Sonatrach and TotalEnergies earlier in 2023 extended their cooperation in the LNG sector with a new contract.

In 2025, Sonatrach will thus be delivering 2 million tonnes per annum of LNG to TotalEnergies at the LNG importer terminal at Fos-Cavaou, west of Marseille.

Energy security

“This will contribute directly to the security of energy supply in France and Europe,” the statement added.

Algerian LNG exports have been recovering from a low ebb and increased by almost 9 percent to 13.45 million tonnes in 2023 from 12.40MT in the previous year from the Arzew and Skikda liquefaction plants on the Mediterranean Coast.

Algeria is also a main pipeline natural gas supplier to Europe via Trans-Mediterranean pipelines supplying Italy as well as Spain and Portugal.

July 1 (LNGJ) - Sonatrach, the Algerian state energy company and operator of two LNG export plants on the North African coast, signed its acceptance of the Touat gas project in southwest Algeria being passed to Groupement Touat Gaz (GTG), a joint venture between Sonatrach and Neptune Energy of the UK.

Operation of the facility had previously been in the hands of the project contractor, Spain’s Técnicas Reunidas, since the first gas was sent into the Algerian domestic gas pipeline network in September 2019. The Touat facility is located around 1,400 kilometres southwest of Algiers in the Sahara Desert and comprises 19 natural gas development wells, a gas treatment plant for gas and stabilised condensate with a gathering network with pipelines.

Algeria, the North African liquefied natural gas producer, has agreed a renewed deal with Tunisia and Italian energy company Eni for the pipeline transportation of more natural gas to southern Europe as the Algerians also prepared to direct new gas finds into industry rather than LNG exports.

Algerian LNG exports have been falling and last year they dropped by 18.2 percent to 10.10 million tonnes compared with 12.34MT the previous year at its two liquefaction plants at Skikda and Arzew on the Mediterranean Coast.

Tunisian Industry Minister Slim Feriani and Eni Chief Executive Claudio Descalzi signed the new agreement to transport Algerian natural gas by pipeline through Tunisia.

The agreement follows another reached with Algerian state energy company Sonatrach in May in relation to the purchase of gas and transport across the Strait of Sicily and completes the contractual framework that allows Eni to import Algerian gas into Italy.

With this agreement, Eni said it was undertaking to operate the Algeria-Tunisia-Italy pipeline for the next 10 years, through its subsidiary Trans-Tunisian Pipeline Company (TTPC), ensuring the necessary reinvestment for modernising infrastructure and taking advantage of the exclusive rights to the entire transport capacity.

Built in the early 1980s and strengthened subsequently over several phases, the trans-Tunisian pipeline consists of two lines, 48 inches wide and around 370km long, from the Algerian-Tunisian border near Oued Saf to the Cap Bon headland. It also has five compression stations.

“With a transport capacity of approximately 34 billion cubic metres per annum, it plays a key role in Italian and Tunisian energy supply and will continue to do so,” stated Eni.

The Italians added that the pipeline contributed to the diversification of sources and to the energy transition in the Italian market.

“The agreement represents a further confirmation of Eni's long-standing commitment to North African countries, not only in hydrocarbon exploration and production, but also in managing transport infrastructure,” added Eni.

Sonatrach Chief Executive Rachid Hachichi also met with Eni counterpart Descalzi to review progress on boosting natural gas output in the North African nation.

Sonatrach reported in early 2019 that several petrochemical joint ventures were under negotiation to monetise its natural gas through channels other than pipeline and LNG exports.

Industry is therefore expected to remain the main driver of natural gas consumption growth in Algeria in the near future.

Residential and commercial demand is set to remain stable, with limited consumption growth owing to gas already having high market penetration in Algeria.

Sonatrach and Eni confirmed the intention to accelerate the development of new oil and gas projects in the North Berkine basin in the Algerian desert that will lead to a significant increase in national production.

The project is composed of two phases. The first is related to oil development and has started up.

The second one, a natural gas project, is scheduled to come on stream by the end of September 2019 with a 180-kilometres pipeline being completed.