(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Surveys, conducted recently by Sonatrach Group in collaboration with energy companies working in Algeria, show that the country ranks fourth in terms of shale gas reserves after the US, China and Argentina.
Algeria has a shale gas reserve of 4.940 trillion cubic feet, 15 percent of which or 740 trillion cubic feet are commercially feasible, the Ministry of Energy and Mining announced on Saturday.
The shale gas reserves are located in the five Algerian Sahara basins of Ahnet, North Timimoun, Moidir, Illizi and Berkine.
These estimates of unconventional hydrocarbon reserves were obtained through the Group's action plan for 2009-20.
During the first stage of this plan (2009-10) Sonatrach conducted seismic mapping, logging and drilling operations, and consolidated its shale gas databases in collaboration with three foreign companies.
In 2013 the Group proceeded to another stage by drilling pilot wells in Ahnet basin order to determine their productivity.
The Ahnet pilot project is expected to in late 2015 before proceeding to similar projects in Berkine and North Timimoun as of next year.
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