25 Mln tonnes of crude oil per year in Algiers

The refining capacity of the national hydrocarbon company SONATRACH is expected to exceed 25 million tonnes of crude oil owing to the ambitious investment programmes for the development of the refineries of Skikda, Arzew and Algiers, an official source of the oil group said Saturday. The gas-oil production will reach 10 million tonnes, up by over 3 million tonnes per year, while petrol will exceed 4 million tonnes per year, and all refineries will produce unleaded petrol, the source added. The current treatment capacity of the five refineries of SONATRACH exceeds 22 million tonnes of crude oil and 5 million tonnes of condensate. The national hydrocarbon group has launched renovation and maintenance operation of its refineries so as to meet domestic needs in oil products and export the surpluses. SONATRACH investment programme for the renovation of the refineries of Skikda, Arzew and Algiers will enable to maintain the current refining capacity over the coming years and to increase crude oil treatment capacity up by 4 million tonnes.