Oil and gas supermajor, Eni, has commenced production at two natural gas fields related to its Berkine South contract in Algeria. Operated by Eni and Algerian state oil and gas producer, Sonatrach, the new volumes will be added to the Berkine North contract and other operated regional activities in the North African country.
Output from the two gas fields within the Berkine South contract currently stands at one million standard cubic meters of gas per day and approximately 4,000 barrels of associated liquids per day.
The contract’s production capacity is expected to reach approximately two million cubic meters per day before the end of the year, helping to boost Algeria’s gas exports, satisfying the demand of the European markets while helping the country’s Menzel Ledjmet Nord Complex reach an output capacity of 11 million cubic meters per day.
The Berkine South contract, which was awarded through accelerated development in April this year, is the first contract to be signed under the 2019 Algerian Hydrocarbon Law 19-13, which modifies the country’s legal framework for the hydrocarbons sector.
Having been present in Algeria since 1981 and currently serving as the main international energy company operating in the country, the operation and development of the Berkine Basin is expected to push Eni’s production in Algeria to over 120,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2023.
In September this year, Eni announced that it had reached an agreement on the acquisition of multinational oil and gas company, bp’s Algerian operation, namely, the In Amenas and In Salah natural gas fields, demonstrating the company’s commitment towards delivering secure and sustainable energy to its customers.
