Sonatrach Plans To Expand Refining Capacity To 40Mn Tons/Year By 2016
Algeria’s state energy firm Sonatrach is planning to increase its refining capacity to 40mn tons/year (800,000 b/d) by 2016, according to interim CEO ʹAbd al-Hafidh Feghouli. In a 24 February interview with Channel Three radio, Mr Feghouli said that planned investments would almost double Algeria refining capacity from the current level of 25mn t/y (500,000 b/d). Mr Feghouli added that the firm’s medium-term investment plan is worth $69bn. “71% of this amount will be used to fund upstream operations, and 19% will fund downstream operations, including current projects such as LNG plants in Arzew and Skida,” the CEO said. Algeria has four refineries and is planning to build a new 300,000 b/d capacity refinery at Tiaret. This was originally intended to be brought on-stream in 2011 (MEES, 26 October 2009).
Copyright MEES 2010.
