Algeria's Sonatrach to Drill Four Shale Wells This Year

Algerian state owned energy company Sonatrach plans to drill four shale gas wells in Ahnet and Illizi basin this year, reports Algeria Press Service.

This comes after the Council of Ministers authorized the firm to drill 11 wells over a period of 7 to 13 years.

The Council also agreed in May to allow the state owned firm to rope in foreign partners for the exercise.

According to Algeria Press Service, in 2012, Sonatrach had already achieved the first shale gas drilling in Ahnet, an experimental well that allows to improve data on the unconventional gas reserves in this basin.

In addition to Ahnet basin, six other basin contain shale gas.

These basins are Mouydir, Berkin-Ghadames, Timimoun, Reggane and Tindouf containing technically recoverable reserves.