*MoU includes possible cooperation in greenhouse gas emissions, carbon management
*Equinor involved in the development and production of two gas fields in Algeria
Norwegian energy giant Equinor has partnered with Algeria’s state-owned oil company Sonatrach to examine cooperation in global oil and gas exploration and production.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the companies includes possible cooperation in greenhouse gas emissions, carbon management, and industrial safety management.
The firms will also examine cooperation opportunities in the implementation of technology to increase hydrocarbon recovery and the development of a model for driving high-performance oil operations.
Equinor, together with UK oil supermajor BP and Sonatrach, is involved in the development and production of two gas fields in the country–In Salah and In Amenas.
The In Salah dry gas project, which delivered its first gas in August 2004, involves seven gas fields in the central Sahara area.
Claimed to be the fourth-largest gas development project in Algeria, the In Amenas gas project was commissioned in 2006. It is located about 1,200km from the coast, towards the Libyan border.
The two gas fields each have a production capacity of 9 billion cubic meters per year.
Earlier this year, Equinor partnered with France’s Engie to develop ways to produce low-carbon hydrogen from natural gas.
A memorandum of understanding was signed by the firms to assess the development of low-carbon hydrogen value chains in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.
Equinor said that the low-carbon and renewable hydrogen projects would help in significantly reducing CO2 emissions before 2030.
The Norwegian firm also expanded its onshore presence in Russia earlier this year with the acquisition of a 49% interest in the limited liability company KrasGeoNaC (KGN).
KGN holds 12 conventional onshore exploration and production licenses in Eastern Siberia. It includes the North Danilovsky development, which commenced production in July.