The Statoil office in Algiers, capital of Algeria, has been officially opened today, 27 September.
“North Africa is important for our international operations,” Statoil chief executive Helge Lund affirmed in his speech at the inauguration.
“Algeria offers us gas production which represents one of several opportunities to supply the European market.
“So it’s important for us to have an active presence in Algeria and to keep up with what’s happening both in the oil and gas sector and in the rest of the country.”
Guests from the Norwegian and Algerian governments, the Statoil board, Algerian national energy company Sonatrach, Statoil’s partner BP and Statoil attended the event.
The Algerian representatives included Dr Chakib Khelil, minister of energy and mines, Mohamed Meziane, Sonatrach chief executive, and Mohamed R Babaghayou, vice president of exploration and production at the state company.
Norway’s petroleum and energy minister Thorhild Widvey participated at the head of a Norwegian government delegation.
The Statoil office is temporarily housed in the Sheraton Hotel in Algiers, but will soon be moving to the new premises outside the city centre.
With a staff off four-five people, the office is headed by country manager Terje Martin Halmø.
Following the opening, a joint Sonatrach-Statoil technology seminar is due to be held this afternoon.
In Salah, Algeria’s third largest gas development, began producing on 18 July and is set to yield nine billion cubic metres annually. Statoil has a 31.85 per cent interest in the field.