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Total and Sonatrach enhanced their cooperation

The French group Total and the Algerian state-owned company Sonatrach signed two agreements on Sunday 7 October in Paris. The first is a new concession contract for the joint development of the Issasouane Erg gas field, located in the South of the Tin Fouyé Tabankort gas field from which Total is the historical partner. Both companies are committed to make the necessary investments in order to value its reserves, estimated at more than 100 millions of oil-equivalent barrels (mboe). Investment needs for this project, for which the production launch is planned at the end of 2021, are up to 400 million dollars. In turn, a second agreement of joint-venture will allow to start their common project in Arzew (in Western Algeria). It will gather the construction of a dehydrogenation of propane factory as well as a polypropylene production unit with a 550 000t per year capacity. The first engineering studies are planned for November. 

” Agreements signed today marked a new step-in the development of the strategic partnership between Sonatrach and Total in order to pursue the value of the country’s gas reserves bringing the best if our technological expertise,” stated Patrick Pouyanné, Total CEO.

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The oil production got back in South Sudan

From the Toma South facilities, the South Sudan just got its oil production back. For the time being estimated to 20 000 barrels per day, it should reach 80 000 barrels from the end of the year. The pumping in this country zone had been stopped in 2013, which marked the Sudanese civil war, and has been officially announced by the South Sudanese Minister of Oil Azhari Abdulqader. Oil represents one of the main source of income in South Sudan and this revival is one of the greatest hopes of peace for its population.

(Photo : The South Sudanese Minister of Oil, Azhari Abdulqader, opening a sluice gate in the Toma South facilities)

© REUTERS/Jok Solomun

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ALE succeeds in lifting and load-out of 4 suction anchors in Egypt

ALE has recently completed the lifting and load-our of four suction anchors for the Zohr gas project, located in the Egyptian sector of the Mediterranean Sea.

The various manoeuvres took place in the Port of Alexandria where the four suction anchors were stored near the dock. Each of the columns had different weights and dimensions, ranging from 185t to 220t. The anchor parts were moved using a crawler crane with 850t capacity and a radius of up to 30m. In addition to these pieces, ALE has loaded-out other less imposing pieces such as a 65t circular hub and a 95t rectangular ladder piece. The ALE team completed the installation of all parts safely and within the deadline set by the client.

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Statoil ASA becomes Equinor ASA

Oil giant Statoil ASA (Norway) has approved by the annual general meeting the new name Equinor ASA on Wednesday, 15 May 2018. This metamorphosis penalizes the evolution of the company, which recently decided to refocus part of its activities towards renewable energies.

By 2030, between 15% and 20% of Equinor’s investments should be devoted to “new energy solutions”.

Founded in 1972, Equinor  ASA (Statoil ASA) is the largest company in Norway with more than 29,000 employees and a turnover of more than $ 51 billion in 2017.

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Total and Sonatrach strengthen their cooperation

The French group Total and the Algerian state-owned hydrocarbon company Sonatrach have just signed an agreement to launch the engineering studies planned for this summer for a petrochemical project in Arzew (located in western Algeria). This project will include a propane dehydrogenation unit (PDH) and a polypropylene (PP) production unit with an output capacity of 550,000 tons per year and an investment of approximately $ 1.4 billion for the two partners. It will be used to transform propane into polypropylene, a type of plastic whose demand is rising strongly.

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Discovery of an oil deposit estimated at 80 billion barrels in Bahrein

The Sheikh Mohammed Ben Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Bahrein’s Oil Minister, just confirmed the discovery a new Oil field which would contain almost 80 billion oil shale barrels. « Some assessment exercises are ongoing in order to estimate exactly the quantities of oil shale and gas we can exploit  in this deposit », stated the Cheikh Mohammed Ben Khalifa Al-Khalifa, in a press conference.

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Oil&Gas exports are doing well in Algeria

A report of the Algerian Central Bank indicates that revenues from oil and gas exports increased by 18.42% in 2017 compared to 2016 reaching $ 33.06 billion.

A report of the Algerian Central Bank indicates that revenues from oil and gas exports increased by 18.42% in 2017 compared to 2016 reaching $ 33.06 billion.

This growth has been favored by the increase in oil prices since the 2014 crisis.

However, the volume of oil and gas exports fell by 2.88% or 108.48 million tonnes of oil equivalent (toe).

This increase in energy revenues has reduced the Algerian trade deficit by 28.9% or $ 14.33 billion.

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Sarens used 11 cranes to install 274m gas pipes in Belgium.

Sarens used 11 cranes to install 274m gas pipes in Belgium. In the city of Merksem (Belgium), a team of Sarens has recently worked on the construction of a tunnel for a pipeline downstream of the Albert Canal.

In the city of Merksem (Belgium), a team of Sarens has recently worked on the construction of a tunnel for a pipeline downstream of the Albert Canal.

The customer van den Berg / Besix had charged Sarens to install along 274m of gas pipe in the well. This required 9 telescopic cranes Sarens (with capacities between 40 and 100 t) and 2 cranes of the customer associated with meticulous execution on the ground.

The cranes worked together to simultaneously lift and hold the pipe. The pilots worked without visual contact and were guided by the lift supervisor. Then, the load was inserted into the well at a precise angle and pulled through the tunnel through mechanisms on the other side of the Albert Canal.

The team was able to succeed with the challenges of low visibility and in confined working conditions. “We are very satisfied with this cooperation (…) The result is very good.” Says Maarten Pombreu, Business Line Manager Horizontal Directional Drilling at Van den Berg/ Besix.

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New oil discovery for SDX

British oil and gas company SDX Energy, which specializes in North Africa, has just announced that an oil discovery has been made on its Rabul 5 Well in the West Gharib Concession in Egypt. The well, drilled to a depth of 1609 m, has discovered about 46 m of net crude oil.

“We are pleased to continue our recent run of drilling success with this oil discovery at Rabul 5. This well encountered the thickest section of pay sands seen in the Rabul area to date, demonstrating the significant oil potential contained within the licence. We have further drilling activity planned for the concession over the coming months and we firmly believe that these activities will enable us to increase output from the licence and achieve our ambitious production plans for 2018.” : commented Paul Welsh, President and CEO of SDX.

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Total takes 16.33% stake in the Waha concessions in Libya

Total has announced that it has acquired Marathon Oil Libya Limited, which holds a 16.33% stake in the Waha Concessions in Libya. This transaction gives Total access to reserves and resources of more than 500 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), with an immediate production of around 50.000 boe/d and a exploration potential across the area of 53 000 km2 covered by the Concessions in the Sirte Basin.

“This acquisition is in line with Total’s strategy to reinforce its portfolio with high quality and low-technical cost assets whilst bolstering our historic strength in the Middle East and North Africa region,”said Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of Total. The amount of this operation is more than 365 million Euros.

Photo : © Alfredo Caliz/ Panos-REA