The commercial exploitation of the Algerian shale gas is planned for 2022 with a production averaging 20 billion m3, CEO of Group Sonatrach, Saïd Sahnoun declared Sunday in Algiers.
"We expect to enter the pilot phase of the unconventional resources exploitation in 2019 with the perspective to start production in 2022," Sahnoun said in his speech at the 9th North Africa Oil & Gas Summit, held from December 7 to 9 in Algiers.
Sonatrach also plans to reinforce its capacities of shale gas production thanks to the intensification of the investments in this field to reach 30 billion m3 by 2025-2027, the same official said while presenting "Sonatrach's medium term development prospects."
According to Sahnoun, the continued efforts have been devoted in recent years to assess the potential in unconventional hydrocarbons, particularly through cooperation with international companies specializing in this field.
The technically recoverable resources of shale gas are estimated at around 700 Tcf (1Tcf = 1 trillion cubic feet), he noted.
CEO of Sonatrach also mentioned the debate surrounding the issue of the impact of the exploitation of unconventional resources on the environment.
In this regard, he stressed that Algeria's efforts to develop its potential of unconventional hydrocarbons take into account securing the supply of the domestic market and meeting its obligations as a "reliable" supplier to the European market.
During last May meeting, the Council of Ministers chaired by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika authorized the exploitation of the latter had requested the agreement for the operation clay and shale formations.
To confirm the commercial potential of these resources, Algeria needs to conduct a drilling program of 11 wells over a period of 7 to 13 years.
Algeria ranked 3rd in the world, after China and Argentina in terms of reserves of recoverable shale gas, according to a World Report of the US Department of Energy (DoE) on the reserves of unconventional hydrocarbons.