Algeria sees petchems progress
A contract award marks a rare sign of movement on Algeria’s stalled downstream development plans
The Step joint venture between Algeria’s state-owned oil-and-gas firm Sonatrach and Total chose in September US congolmerate Honeywell as technology supplier for a propane dehydrogenation and polypropylene (PDH-PP) plant planned at the Arzew downstream hub in western Algeria. Honeywell’s selection by Step—51pc owned by Sonatrach with Total holding the remaining 49pc—came as no surprise, given the firm’s extensive local and regional experience. But the award was a welcome sign that the project is moving beyond the drawing board. The partners have discussed a petrochemicals venture for more than a decade, while Algeria’s wider plans for downstream expansion over the same period have progresse
Also in this section
25 April 2024
Some companies with assets in Israel have turned towards Egypt as tensions escalate, but others are holding firm despite rising tensions
24 April 2024
But even planned exploration activity is unlikely to reverse declining output from mature fields
23 April 2024
Cheaper Russian barrels and lower overall crude prices have helped cut key oil consumer’s import bills in election year
22 April 2024
Pursuing three different goals as part of the same package may mean achieving none of them