Algerian liquefied natural gas exports are expected to grow during the second half of this year, according to the latest report of the General Secretariat of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC).
The organization, of which Algeria is a prominent member, indicated in its report entitled “Developments of liquefied natural gas and hydrogen during the second quarter of 2021” that Algeria’s exports of liquefied natural gas amounted to about 3.1 million tons during the second quarter of 2021, compared to 2.9 million tons of liquefied natural gas the same quarter of 2020, with a year-on-year growth rate of 6.9 percent.
These exports amounted to 3.2 million tons in the first quarter of this year, which represents a decline of (-3.1 percent), compared to the quantity recorded in the second quarter of the same year, according to the same source.
According to the document published by OAPEC on its website, this growth is mainly due to “the entry of gas liquefaction facility in Skikda into full operation after a hiatus of several months during the past year, as it exported about 1 million tons during the second quarter of 2021, while the export of about 1.2 million tons of gas liquefaction facilities operating in Arzew, with expectations that liquefied natural gas exports from Algeria will witness growth during the second half of 2021.”
With regard to investment in the field of hydrogen production, the organization mentioned the announcement of the national hydrocarbon company Sonatrach and Italian company Eni, in early July, of an agreement to draw a map for a joint evaluation of the technological and commercial feasibility of implementing a pilot project for hydrogen production using renewable energy sources (solar and wind energy). .
This agreement comes in activation of a memorandum of understanding signed earlier this year. The proposed pilot project also includes studying the possibility of using water produced from oil fields in the electrolysis process to preserve water resources in Algeria.
