Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Agip (Algeria) and Maersk Olie Algeriet recently announced start-up of production from the Hassi Berkine oil field (HBN) in Blocks 404 and 403 in Algeria's Sahara Desert, nearly two months ahead of the contracted development schedule.
The field has a production capacity of 75,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), which will be processed through the third production train of the central processing facility (CPF) at the nearby Hassi Berkine South (HBNS) complex. A gathering system, injection lines, crude oil storage and export facilities have also been installed as part of the facility expansion.
The HBN field is located across Block 403, operated by the Algerian National Oil Company Sonatrach, and Agip (Algeria). Block 404 is operated by Sonatrach and Anadarko Association. The field is unitized between the two associations, with Anadarko maintaining a 74.5 percent stake, while Agip holds the remaining interest.
"Algeria represents a growing portion of Anadarko's global production over the next two years, as gross production capacity expands to more than 500,000 bpd," said Anadarko President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Seitz.
Sonatrach, Anadarko and its partners Agip (Algeria), a wholly owned subsidiary of Italy's ENI, and Maersk Olie Algeriet, a wholly owned subsidiary of Maersk Olie Og Gas, completed the first train of the CPF in May 1998 and the second in September 2001.
The fourth 75,000 bpd train, currently under construction at the HBNS complex, will process production from the Block 404 "satellite" fields: HBNSE, BKNE, RBK, QBN and BKE. First production from this fourth unit is expected in August 2002, increasing total oil production capacity through the CPF from 210,000 bpd to more than 285,000 bpd.
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation is one of the largest independent exploration and production companies in the world. The company reported production of 558,000 bpd in third quarter of 2001. US operations are in Texas, Louisiana, the Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain regions, Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. Internationally, it is active in Canada, Algeria, Qatar, Oman, Tunisia, Congo, Gabon, Venezuela, Australia and the North Atlantic. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
