Norway’s Equinor Eyes Expansion of Partnership with Algeria

ALGIERS – Algerian Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, received on Sunday the Executive Vice President for Global Exploration and Production at the Norwegian energy group “Equinor”, Philip Mathieu, to discuss the current state and future prospects of bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbons sector.

The meeting was held in the presence of senior officials from both sides.

The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the current state and future prospects of bilateral cooperation in the hydrocarbons sector, particularly Equinor’s investment opportunities in Algeria in the areas of exploration, prospecting, and hydrocarbon production. Moreover, both parties expressed their satisfaction with the strong partnership between Sonatrach and Equinor, notably in the In Salah and In Amenas projects, which stand as exemplary models of successful technical and investment collaboration between the two countries, the Algerian Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mines said in a statement.

The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen and expand the partnership between the two companies through new projects, as well as to continue the exchange of technical expertise and experience—particularly in the areas of field development, petrochemicals, environmental protection, carbon emission reduction, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and the production of low-carbon fuels, the statement said, adding that these initiatives “fall within the framework of efforts to promote the energy transition and reduce the environmental footprint of the hydrocarbons industry.”

During the meeting, Arkab delivered a presentation on the Hydrocarbons Law and the incentives and guarantees it offers to foreign investors. He reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to providing an attractive investment climate based on transparency and competitiveness, with the goal of revitalizing exploration activities and enhancing production. The Minister also highlighted promising opportunities for joint cooperation in the fields of research, training, and modern technologies in the oil and gas industry.

For his part, Philip Mathieu expressed his satisfaction with the excellent cooperative relations with Sonatrach, reiterating Equinor’s interest in strengthening its presence and investments in Algeria and its readiness to expand the partnership to include new areas such as clean energy, optimal resource management, industrial safety, and emissions control. He also commended Algeria’s role as a reliable and stable partner in the global energy market.

It is worth noting that the Equinor Group has been present in Algeria since 2004. The company is a partner of Sonatrach and British Petroleum (BP) in gas production projects in In Salah and In Amenas, in addition to its partnership with Sonatrach in the Timissit exploration site.