Highlighting the expanding global presence of Omani upstream energy companies, Petrogas E&P, the exploration and production division of the diversified Mohammed Al Barwani Group, has secured contracts to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of two significant basins in Algeria. These agreements extend Petrogas E&P’s international operations, which already encompass activities in the Netherlands and Egypt, alongside assets in Oman and exploration commitments in the United Kingdom and Denmark.
Under contracts signed with the Algerian state-owned Agency for the Valorisation of Hydrocarbon Resources, Petrogas will conduct geological, geophysical, and reservoir studies in the Touggourt and Berkine basins located in southern Algeria. The agreements, formalized by Alnaft President Samir Bekhti and Petrogas CEO Kingsuk Sen, cover the Hassi Toumiat and El Borma–Hassi Keskassa perimeters. The results from these studies will guide the design of an investment strategy once the basins’ hydrocarbon potential is confirmed.
Alnaft President Samir Bekhti emphasized that the studies aim to unlock new reserves and improve production in mature fields facing technical challenges, describing the initiative as part of Algeria’s strategy to optimize every barrel from its aging basins. Earlier this year, Petrogas obtained a five-year prequalification certificate from Alnaft, enabling it to participate in forthcoming Algerian bid rounds.
CEO Kingsuk Sen reiterated the company’s dedication to long-term cooperation with Algeria, focusing on research, production enhancement, and development of mature fields. Internationally, Petrogas holds a strong position in the Netherlands through its subsidiary Petrogas E&P Netherlands BV, which operates offshore assets including the A15 licence in the Dutch North Sea that delivered first gas in early 2024. The company also maintains production activities in Egypt’s Area A, reflecting its growing footprint across European and African upstream markets.
In Oman, Petrogas’s upstream portfolio spans several key areas including the Rima Small Fields cluster in Block 5, awarded under a 2008 service contract with PDO for boosting output from 18 small southern fields, Block 55 in Al Wusta Governorate secured in 2014 under an EPSA granting full exploration and development rights, and most recently Block 15. At Block 15, subsidiary Mazoon Petrogas signed a 2024 agreement with Oman’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals and China’s CNPC to jointly explore and produce oil and gas, marking a new phase of frontier expansion.
Source: omanet.om