The Chairman of SONATRACH, Toufik Hakkar, and Eni CEO, Claudio Descalzi, signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Rome aimed at accelerating the development of gas fields in Algeria and decarbonisation via green hydrogen. The signing ceremony was witnessed by the President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi during a state visit to Rome. Today’s MoU represents a further step in strengthening energy cooperation between Italy and Algeria and is in line with Eni's strategy of diversifying energy sources with a focus on decarbonisation.

In more detail, the Memorandum of Understanding will allow SONATRACH and Eni to evaluate the gas potential and opportunities for accelerated development at specific fields already discovered by SONATRACH in Algeria. The gas production volumes expected from the areas covered by the agreement is equal to approximately 3 billion cubic meters per year and will contribute to increasing the export capacity of Algeria to Italy through the Transmed pipeline.

The Memorandum also covers the technical and economic evaluation for a green hydrogen pilot project in Bir Rebaa North (BRN) in the Algerian desert, with the goal of supporting the decarbonisation of the BRN gas plant operated by JV SONATRACH-Eni GSE.