US oil majors intensify talks with Algeria on gas exploration

ExxonMobil’s vice‑president for exploration, John Ardill, told an energy forum in Houston that Algeria is a top priority for the company’s offshore and unconventional gas expansion, citing the country’s estimated 7,000 billion m³ of shale‑type gas and its proximity to European markets. He referenced a May 2024 protocol of understanding with state‑owned Sonatrach that targets the Ahnet and Gourara basins for accelerated investment.

In parallel, junior executives from Oxy and Chevron joined a 26‑person US‑Algerian Business Council delegation that visited Algiers on 21 January 2024. Both firms have held talks with Sonatrach about developing conventional and shale gas resources, with Chevron showing interest in the Ahnet, Gourara and Berkine basins. None of the discussions have yet resulted in signed contracts, and Algerian officials stress the need for security‑sensitive, legally firm agreements before work can begin. Algeria aims to raise gas output to feed European demand and to exploit the roughly 53 % of its 1.5 million km² hydrocarbon potential that remains untapped.