TOUAT, Algeria- Algeria will delay the launch of the southern Touat gas field until the first quarter of 2018, almost a year later than planned, the head of state energy firm Sonatrach said on Tuesday.
"Of the 21 wells, only 3 are ready to come online," CEO Abdelmoumene Ould Kaddour told reporters during a visit to the planned field located deep in Algeria's south.
"I acknowledge that our business in the deep south is very difficult, very complex, but definitely we need to improve our efficiency," he added.
The new gas field should boost Algeria's exports, estimated at 57 billion cubic metres this year, by producing 12.8 million cubic metres per day.
(Reporting by Lamine Chikhi; Editing by Ulf Laessing and Adrian Croft) ((Ulf.Laessing@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: follow me on twitter @ulflaessing))
"Of the 21 wells, only 3 are ready to come online," CEO Abdelmoumene Ould Kaddour told reporters during a visit to the planned field located deep in Algeria's south.
"I acknowledge that our business in the deep south is very difficult, very complex, but definitely we need to improve our efficiency," he added.
The new gas field should boost Algeria's exports, estimated at 57 billion cubic metres this year, by producing 12.8 million cubic metres per day.
(Reporting by Lamine Chikhi; Editing by Ulf Laessing and Adrian Croft) ((Ulf.Laessing@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: follow me on twitter @ulflaessing))
