Algerian Radio
The Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Mr. Mohamed Arkab, received today, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at the headquarters of his ministerial department, the Executive Vice President for Africa of the Norwegian energy group "Equinor", Ms. Nina Birgitte Koch, in the presence of executives from both sides.
This meeting served as an opportunity to evaluate the current status of cooperation between the Sonatrach Group and the "Equinor" Group, and to review opportunities for its development and expansion across various fields of the oil and gas industry, particularly in exploration, prospecting, development, and production of hydrocarbons.
Both parties praised the level of existing cooperation between Sonatrach and Equinor, particularly through the In Salah and In Amenas projects, which reflect the success of the Algerian-Norwegian partnership in the hydrocarbons sector. They also exchanged views on new investment opportunities and perspectives for strengthening technical cooperation between the two companies.
Furthermore, the talks touched upon future areas of cooperation, especially regarding the development of oil and gas fields, petrochemicals, technologies related to environmental protection, the reduction of methane and carbon emissions, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, thereby contributing to supporting efforts aimed at reducing the environmental footprint in the oil and gas industry.
During the meeting, the Minister of State reaffirmed Algeria's keenness to continue improving the investment climate and providing appropriate conditions to attract qualitative investments, reviewing the advantages provided by the Hydrocarbons Law in terms of transparency, stability, and incentives directed toward partners and investors. He also highlighted the available opportunities to develop cooperation in the fields of research and development, training, and the transfer of modern technology.
For her part, Ms. Nina Birgitte Koch expressed her satisfaction with the level of existing cooperation with Sonatrach, emphasizing the "Equinor" Group's desire to strengthen its presence in Algeria and expand its partnership fields with the sector, particularly in the areas of optimal resource utilization and the reduction of gas emissions, praising in this context Algeria's position as a reliable partner and a key player in the international energy market.
