Petroleum Africa
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Wednesday, June 4, 2014
During an official visit to Algiers the US Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz revealed that US companies are interested in developing unconventional oil and gas resources in the North African country. “Our companies are interested in the Algerian market because they have extensive experience in the field of shale oil and gas exploitation, which has enabled us to realize an economic boom and energy independence,” he said during his visit Algiers.
Moniz met with his Algerian counterpart, Youcef Yousfi, and the two discussed technology transfers that could aid Algeria in its unconventional endeavors as well as with its plans to explore offshore its coast in the Mediterranean. Moniz said the expertise of US producers could be transferred to Algeria’s offshore areas in the Mediterranean as water depths are comparable to those in the US Gulf of Mexico.
Yousfi said energy security was vital for Algeria and pointed out that non-conventional oil and gas resources had helped the US achieve that security.
Algerian and US energy officials discussed risks to groundwater associated with shale oil and gas development and precautions that could be taken during the production process.
“It turns out that exploiting non-conventional hydrocarbons is not more polluting than exploiting other resources,” Yousfi said. “Algeria is currently evaluating the potential for shale oil and gas, attempting to determine the quality of the rock while studying all potential environmental impact,” Yousfi said. The Algerian minister added that energy security was vital to his country and unconventional resources had aided the US in achieving that security. “It is absolutely vital for us to use all possible resources to achieve energy security,” Yousfi said.
Yousfi was not the only Algerian official commenting on the country’s unconventional resources and their priority as a way to ensure energy security, Abdelmalek Sellal Algeria’s prime minister said the government would seek to assure Algeria’s long-term future as an oil and gas exporter, while also satisfying domestic energy requirements.
“The government will ensure the long-term energy security of Algeria and maintain its position as an active player in the international oil market, intensifying exploration and development efforts and bringing new oil and gas deposits on stream to return to production growth,” he said in a speech before the National Assembly.
The prime minister said that Algeria would carry out pilot drilling to determine production methods for unconventional oil and gas resources. “We have adopted a new law on shale gas and we must explain to our citizens that we cannot put off the long-term exploitation of the resource,” he said.
He added that groundwork for long-term shale gas exploitation would take place over the next five years with the implementation of the pilot drilling program.
Sonatrach would be trained in best methods of shale gas production. A higher education program related to shale gas would also be established, he added.
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