The 3.5bcm/y Ain Tsila gas project in Algeria’s Illizi basin is “ahead of schedule” according to lead partner Sunny Hill Energy (formerly Petroceltic), with “all the key milestones” met as of early February. “As a result first gas is scheduled for 2022,” the firm says.

In fact this would be in line with the September 2022 timeframe outlined when Petrofac was last March awarded the key $1bn EPC contract (MEES, 15 March 2019); given Algeria’s record of chronic delays sticking to this latest target no doubt feels like a victory. The project had originally been slated for 2017 start-up (MEES, 21 July 2017). (CONTINUED - 137 WORDS)