ALGIERS, Sept 8 (KUNA) - Algeria's state-owned hydrocarbon giant Sonatrach and South Korea's Hyundai group signed here on Thursday an agreement to develop El-Messana oilfield in the Algerian desert.

The deal, involving USD 167 million of investments, aims to construct the production unit of the oilfield and build a 25 km long pipeline over 30 months.

The designed output capacity of the oilfield amounts to 12,000 barrels per day.