Algeria’s state energy firm, Sonatrach, said on Sunday that it is prepared to deliver additional gas to Europe amid a probable fall caused by the Russia-Ukraine war Crisis.
Toufik Hakkar, CEO of Sonatrach, stated that the company is ready to send extra gas to the EU via the Transmed pipeline, which connects Algeria and Italy.
According to sources, Algeria exports a maximum of 22 billion cubic meters (of gas) via the Transmed pipeline, leaving a capacity of 10 billion cubic meters.
The nation therefore cannot “compensate for the drop in Russian gas supplies” since it can only give two or three million more cubic meters.
Mr. Hakkar stated that Sonatrach may increase its supply to nations not covered by current pipelines by deploying LNG tankers, and that existing liquefaction facilities are only working at 50 to 60% capacity.
Algeria can deliver higher volumes in the medium term, in four or five months, but it must first develop additional shale gas supplies, Mr. Hakkar said.
In January, Sonatrach said that it will invest $40 billion between 2022 and 2026 on oil exploration, production, and refining, as well as gas discovery and extraction.