In late 2013 Algeria’s Energy Ministry officially launched the first of what were to be four 5mn tons/year (108,000 b/d) refinery projects – ie 20mn t/y, the equivalent of two-thirds of current capacity – for start-up from 2017. By mid-2015 the plan had slipped to two 108,000 b/d refineries and one 3mn t/y (64,000 b/d) plant, with start-up anticipated “beyond 2020.”
Now, however, the ministry has firmed up its plans once more, with the award of front end engineering design (FEED) contract for three refineries. These, along with planned debottlenecking projects, will take Algeria’s refining capacity from 650,000 b/d now to almost 1mn b/d (see table). (CONTINUED - 776 WORDS)
