04 gas discoveries by Sonatrach and Spanish Repsol

The Algerian oil and gas group Sonatrach and the Spanish oil company Repsol announced Monday the discovery of three new gas fields in Algeria a with a total potential production of one million m3/ day.

•     Sonatrach also said in a statement that it has made another gas discovery by its own means, in the basin of Illizi (extreme south-east).
  
      The largest deposit discovered in association with the consortium Repsol Exploration Algeria SA / RWE-DEA / Edison International is located in the basin of Reggane (1,100 km southeast of the capital), with a potential production of about 630,000 m3/ day.
  
      Repsol is operator on this deposit with a participation of 33.75%, together with Sonatrach (25%), German RWE (22.5%) and Italy's Edison (18.75%).
  
      Another deposit was discovered in the basin of Ahnet, near to that of Reggane and the third in Gassi Chergui, in the Berkine basin, further east. Sonatrach said that this latest discovery was made in partnership with the consortium Repsol Exploration Algeria SA / Gas Natural SDG.
  
      One million m3/ day represents about 1% of the Spanish consumption, according to the group.
  
      Repsol stresses the importance of Reggane Basin, where all discoveries are estimated at the equivalent of 145 millions barrels of oil.
  
      Algeria, whose gas reserves are estimated at 4,500 billion m3, is planning to raise its gas exports to 85 billion m3 in 2011 against 62 billions currently.
  
      Algeria produced 153 billion m3 of gas in 2007 and its annual consumption, currently at 25 billion m3, is expected to reach 55 billions m3 in 2017 according to official estimates.
  
      
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.