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