Algeria's Timimoun Starts Up: APS
The Timimoun gas field in southwest Algeria started production on February 24, local officials told Algerian state press agency APS the same day.
The field is jointly operated by Sonatrach 51%, Total 37.75% and Spain's Cepsa 11.25% and most of the project work was undertaken by South Korean contractor Samsung, reported APS, which also said the field is expected to have plateau gas production of 5mn m3/d (1.82bn m3/yr) plus 466 b/d condensate. NGW asked Total and Cepsa for confirmation of Timimoun's start-up but as yet neither had replied at going to press. Timimoun is 250km to the north of the town of Adrar, itself some 1000km southwest of Algiers.
It is the middle of three fields starting in fairly quick succession in southwest Algeria, starting with Reggane Nord (2.9bn m3/yr at plateau, started up December 2017) and ending with Touat (4.6bn m3/yr plus condensate, due to start up shortly).
Sonatrach, Total and Cepsa in December 2017 signed a new contractual framework for the Timimoun gas project without disclosing details; Total and Sonatrach signed a deal to strengthen their partnership in April 2017.