Algeria and Niger begin drilling an oil well near their shared border

Algiers, Aug 13 (KUNA) -- Algerian Prime Minister Aymen Benabderrahmane and his Nigerien counterpart, Ali Lamine Zeine, today Thursday inaugurated the drilling operations of the exploratory well "Kefra Southeast 1" in Niger, located approximately 85 kilometers from the shared border. This step was described as "a new building block in the growing momentum of bilateral cooperation between the two countries."

In a speech, the Algerian Prime Minister emphasized that "the launch of drilling operations for the Kefra Southeast 1 exploratory well represents a new stage in the strategic partnership between the two countries." He noted that "what has been achieved in this project is the result of diligent efforts by officials, experts, engineers, and technicians, despite complex field conditions, harsh natural circumstances, and logistical difficulties."

Benabderrahmane added that "this project represents the fruit of a multifaceted partnership between Sonatrach and the National Oil Company of Niger (SONIDEP), covering areas of research, exploration, development, and production, as well as drilling, refining, petrochemical services, and the distribution and marketing of petroleum products, alongside training, technology transfer, and capacity building."

The Algerian Prime Minister clarified that his country's ambition "is not limited to completing the Kefra project through all its stages, but extends toward building an integrated and sustainable industrial partnership." He pointed out that "this model of balanced, comprehensive, and fruitful cooperation constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of the Algerian approach, which aims to build an African energy partnership based on integration and serving sustainable development goals."

He further explained that "this bilateral cooperation naturally extends into a multilateral dimension, particularly through the Trans-Saharan Pipeline project, which has entered implementation phases as a strategic project and a key link in the path toward African integration."

For his part, Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine, the guest of honor, praised "the level of bilateral cooperation and the strategic importance of the project," affirming that "this achievement marks a prominent milestone in the partnership between the two countries."

The initial drilling operations for the project are being carried out by the Algerian hydrocarbons company Sonatrach. The well targets a depth of 3,900 meters at a site located 85 kilometers from the border shared by the two countries. The estimated reserves of this exploratory well amount to approximately 260 million barrels. The project operates under a production-sharing agreement signed between Sonatrach and Nigerien authorities in 2015, which was renewed in 2022. (End) M.R. / H.S.