Minister of Energy and Mines Youcef Yousfi has laid the foundation stone of a refinery in Biskra (425-km south of Algiers) with treatment capacity of 5 million tonnes per year. According to the explanations provided on the construction site, the refinery will produce various intermediate products, including 500,000 tonnes of petrol, 220,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and 169,000 tonnes of kerosene. The DZD220-billion worth project has been launched in the region of Djemora, around forty kilometres north of Biskra, and is expected to generated "thousands of jobs, including 600 permanent jobs. Yousfi gave instructions to the executives of the sector to launch, in parallel, the projects of petrochemical units in the provinces of Khenchela, Batna and M’sila, with a view to establish a regional petrochemical hub. Similar projects of refineries are underway in Ghardaia, Tiaret and Hassi Messaoud (Ouargla).