TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy have jointly been awarded the Ahara exploration license in Algeria. This follows 2024 licensing round conducted under the new hydrocarbon law No. 19-13.
The Ahara block spans approximately 14,900 square kilometers and is strategically located at the confluence of the resource-rich Berkine and Illizi basins. TotalEnergies will serve as the operator during the exploration and appraisal phases, holding a 24.5% effective stake, equal to QatarEnergy’s share. Algeria’s state-owned oil and gas company, SONATRACH, will maintain a 51% majority interest, as mandated by national legislation.
READ: Uganda, Tanzania, Zanzibar ink tripartite MOU for oil, gas sector
Long-standing presence
Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, expressed enthusiasm over the development, stating, “TotalEnergies is delighted that its joint bid with QatarEnergy has led to the award of the Ahara license, allowing us to write a new chapter in our long-lasting partnership with SONATRACH in exploration in Algeria.”
TotalEnergies has a long-standing presence in Algeria’s energy sector, with active interests in several oil and gas developments, including the Tin Fouyé Tabankort (TFT II), Timimoun gas fields, and the Berkine Basin’s Blocks 404a and 208. In 2023, the company’s production in Algeria averaged 51,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (kboe/d), reflecting its continued engagement in the country’s upstream operations and LNG supply agreements with SONATRACH.
