ALGIERS- The Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, received, on Thursday, a delegation from the Norwegian oil group ”Equinor”, led by the Executive Vice President in charge of Exploration and International Production, Al Cook, with whom he reviewed the state of bilateral energy cooperation relations, said a ministry statement.
During this audience, held at the headquarters of the ministry, in the presence of the Norwegian ambassador to Algeria, “the two parties reviewed the state of bilateral cooperation relations in the field of energy, in particular the exploration and the production of hydrocarbons in Algeria and internationally,” said the same source.
In this respect, Mr. Arkab and the Norwegian delegation expressed their satisfaction for the “excellence” of the existing partnership between Sonatrach and Equinor, in particular “their partnership relations in In Salah and In Amenas”, added the communiqué.
Business and investment opportunities between the two parties were also discussed during the meeting.
Mr. Arkab presented to the Equinor delegation the content and objectives of the new law on hydrocarbons for the revival of hydrocarbon research and exploitation activities in Algeria.
Equinor was invited to explore, with Sonatrach, ”ways and means to strengthen and expand the existing partnership between the two companies and to share experience and expertise in related fields, among others, reducing the impact of the hydrocarbon industry on the environment, reducing CO2 emissions and carbon capture and storage (CCS),” the ministry pointed out.
According to the press release, the two parties agreed to strengthen cooperation on projects other than hydrocarbons in Algeria, namely; renewable energy projects including those of solar energy, the development of hydrogen and training.
In addition, “the meeting was an opportunity to exchange views and analyzes on the current situation of the international hydrocarbons market and the major developments that characterize the oil and gas industries”, concluded the same source.
