On Tuesday, Algerian hydrocarbon giant Sonatrach announced that it had made three oil and gas discoveries in the Algerian desert, two of which are near the border with Libya.
The first exploration, carried out by Sonatrach with its own funds, regards two reservoirs in the research area – In Amenas 2 – of the Illizi Basin, off the border with Libya, according to the Sonatrach press release.
“The flow rates recorded during the tests were 300,000 m3/day of gas and 26 m3/day of condensate from the first reservoir and 213,000 m3/day of gas and 17 m3/day of condensate from the second reservoir,” the group said.
The second discovery was made by Sonatrach and Italian partner Eni, in the northern region of the Berkine Basin and “highlighted a crude oil discovery. During the production test, the well yielded 1,300 barrels/day of oil and 51,000 m3/day of associated gas,” Sonatrach said.
Earlier this year, Sonatrach signed a deal with Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) to restart its operations in the war-torn nation. The deal aims to resume Sonatrach’s activities, in order to fulfil its contractual obligations and develop fields.
Libya sits on Africa’s largest oil reserves, but its production has been repeatedly interrupted over the past decade due to lawlessness and armed conflict following the 2011 revolt that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
The Sonatrach statement said the oil and gas giant planned to “redouble efforts for a swift return” to its activities in Libya, largely suspended since a surge in violence in 2014.
Notably, Libya has now managed to raise its oil production to 1.1 million bpd, the Ministry of Oil announced on Tuesday.
Libya resumed oil exports last week, ending a force majeure on key oilfields and ports that had been in place since April. The force majeure severely crippled Libya’s oil exports in recent months. This follows weeks of protests and closures amid a new rift in Libya’s political class over who should be governing the country.