Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb chaired on Tuesday the laying of the foundation stone and the official launch of construction of a catalytic reforming unit for naphtha at the Arzew Industrial Zone (Oran), during a working and inspection visit to the province, carried out on the instructions of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
The visit coincides with the commemoration of the dual anniversary of the founding of the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) and the nationalization of hydrocarbons, marked annually on February 24.
The Prime Minister was briefed in detail on the project, which is to be built at the Arzew oil refinery and will feature a Continuous Catalytic Reforming (CCR) unit. The facility will enable the upgrading of naphtha produced at the refinery in order to generate REFORMAT, a key component in the composition of gasoline. Annual production is projected at 1.2 million tons of gasoline, with an annual naphtha processing capacity of 738,000 tons, according to the project’s technical specifications.
The project also aims to boost gasoline supply in the domestic market, particularly in the western and south-western regions. It will additionally put an end to the transfer of gasoline from the Skikda refinery RA1K to the Arzew refinery RA1Z, once the new production from the Arzew refinery is sufficient to meet demand in the western region, ensuring an adequate and sustainable supply.
The project is also expected to generate 3,000 jobs during the construction phase and 60 permanent direct positions once the facility becomes operational.
