The Algerian government is encouraging the participation of India-based firms in the USD 10 billion Trans-Saharan pipeline project. Echarif Mohammed Hacene, Algeria’s Ambassador to India, indicated that Algeria was looking beyond European countries for new partnerships in the 2627mi pipeline project. Hacene also expressed confidence that several Indian companies would follow the example of Indian Oil Corp. Ltd (IOC), which signed a USD 3 billion deal with Algerian state-controlled Sonatrach (Hydra, Algeria), to develop hydrocarbon projects in Libya. In 2002, Sonatrach and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. signed an agreement to build the trans-Saharan pipeline or NIGEL pipeline. In 2005, Penspen Ltd, secured the contract to undertake feasibility studies for the project. The pipeline network will connect the Warri Region in Nigeria with Hassi R’Mel in Algeria through Niger. The pipeline, which will have varying diameters in the range of 48 to 56in, will run 664mi in Nigeria, 1440mi in Algeria and 523mi in Niger. At Hassi R’Mel in Algeria, the pipeline will be connected to the Maghreb-Europe, Trans-Med, Galsi and Medgaz pipelines at the Beni Saf and El-Kala hubs. These pipelines are expected to carry 30 billion cum per year of natural gas to several European destinations. The pipeline is likely to be commissioned in 2015.
