Algeria: Asian oil companies advance

Asian upstream companies are making progress in Algeria and have expressed interest in additional opportunities. On 11 December, PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation and its partner Thailand’s PTT Exploration and Production Public Company produced first oil from the Bir Seba field, which the companies secured in the July 2002 licensing round and for which development has been under way since Sonatrach approved a development plan in 2008. First production had been planned for 2013, but was delayed. Initial production is 20,000 b/d but is expected to increase to 40,000 b/d by 2020.