An Algerian tender for the development of five key oil and gas projects has attracted the interest of 14 international firms, including world oil majors such as BP Amoco and TotalElfFina. The package includes oilfields development in Zarzaitine and El Abed Larache, an oil & gas project in Illizi, and the big Tinhert and Rhourde Nouss gas fields, all located in the promising SE Illizi basin. An Energy and Mines Ministry senior official said that BP Amoco, TotalFinaElf, Gaz De France, Spain’s Repsol, Petronas of Malaysia, Petro-Canada and Australia’s BHP Billiton had all submitted technical offers in November. The other bidders are US-based Amerada Hess and Canada’s Marathon, Russia’s biggest oil producer LUKOIL, German firm Wintershall, Irish-based Tullow Oil and Chinese state-owned firms Sinopec and CNODC. The ministry has set a deadline of 31March 2002 for commercial offers and contract awards.
