Algerian Energy Minister, Youcef Yousfi, said that the projected exploitation of shale gas by Algeria is foreseen within the upcoming period of between 2020 and 2025, adding that the goal now is focused on the development of the gas fields in order to ensure the future continuity of the supply of this non-conventional gas and energy in general.
Speaking in an interview with solely the public television and the public media outlets excluding the independent press which was forcibly barred from approaching the energy Minister, Mr Youcef Yousfi said that the start of the exploitation of shale gas in the country had been scheduled by the authorities concerned between the years 2020 and 2025, in keeping with reliable data and technical estimates.
“Within 3 or 4 years, Algeria will possess a strong industry for various drilling and exploration operations as part of Sonatrach’s joint ventures with reliable foreign partners specialized in this field of endeavour, the energy minister emphasized.
Mr Yousfi also reiterated that the brand-new shale gas extraction techniques do not involve any "danger".
He slammed the claims of purported underground pollution as he said that last month’s pilot drilling produced clean gas and the waste water is being well managed.
Last month, Algeria successfully completed its first pilot drilling of shale gas in the Ahnet Basin (In Salah), results of which is ''very promising.
This first pilot well drilled by Sonatrach confirmed the existence of substantial reserves of shale gas in the Ahnet basin, located in the soutnern In Salah region.
According to Sonatrach, the entire basin could hold total reserves of 200,000 billion m3 of gas of which 10 percent can be extracted.
