Sonatrach plans to import 2 million tons diesel oil in 2012
Group Sonatrach plans to import 2 million tons of diesel oil in 2012 to encounter a significant national demand in this fuel, Sonatrach CEO Abdelhamid Zerguine told APS.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Sonatrach-plans...
Quantities to be imported in 2012 will reach 2 million tons for diesel oil and 500,000 tons for fuel, stressed Zerguine after a visit to Skikda province (510 east of Algiers).
Algerian Fuel imports have climbed over the last years. They increased by 77% in 2011 up to 2.3 million tons against 1.3 million tons in 2010.
Diesel oil imports, a fuel much in demand for its low price and for its use in industry and agriculture, will grow from 1.3 million tons in 2011 to 2 million tons in 2012, the equivalent of an increase of 700,000 tons.
However Sonatrach exports crude oil in exchange for the diesl fuel, an official of the group said.
For one imported gas oil ton, Sonatrach exports the equivalent of 3 tons of crude oil, which means that the difference to be paid by Sonatrach is not very important, according to the official.
Diesel oil and fuel imports in 2011 were estimated at $2 billion, according to the figures provided by the group.
To meet the ever growing demand in oil products, Algeria launched a vast renovation program of three refineries (Arzew, Skikda and Algiers) with the ambition of build four new ones with capacity of 20 million tons per year; Zerguine said his inspection visit to Skikda refinery, Algeria largest refinery with 15 million tons refined oil per year.
Algeria plans to enlarge its refinery capacities from 22 million tons, currently to 42 million tons within five years and to 52 million tons in the long run, the same official said.
The decision to import more diesel coincided with a decision to close a part of Skikda refinery (east of Algeria), the beginning of May 2012, and start routine maintenance work during , a period preceding of an increased demand of refined products to coincide with the holidays, forcing the government to import larger quantities of fuel, oil and gasoline and pay down the national refining capacity of the Algerian government through calling on Lithuania and Russia, for the supply of diesel and gasoline in all their forms, to meet the deficit in supplying the local market with refined products, Echorouk reports. It blames the previous policy of increasing production of crude oil over the development of refinery capacity.
Algerian Fuel imports have climbed over the last years. They increased by 77% in 2011 up to 2.3 million tons against 1.3 million tons in 2010.
Diesel oil imports, a fuel much in demand for its low price and for its use in industry and agriculture, will grow from 1.3 million tons in 2011 to 2 million tons in 2012, the equivalent of an increase of 700,000 tons.
However Sonatrach exports crude oil in exchange for the diesl fuel, an official of the group said.
For one imported gas oil ton, Sonatrach exports the equivalent of 3 tons of crude oil, which means that the difference to be paid by Sonatrach is not very important, according to the official.
Diesel oil and fuel imports in 2011 were estimated at $2 billion, according to the figures provided by the group.
To meet the ever growing demand in oil products, Algeria launched a vast renovation program of three refineries (Arzew, Skikda and Algiers) with the ambition of build four new ones with capacity of 20 million tons per year; Zerguine said his inspection visit to Skikda refinery, Algeria largest refinery with 15 million tons refined oil per year.
Algeria plans to enlarge its refinery capacities from 22 million tons, currently to 42 million tons within five years and to 52 million tons in the long run, the same official said.
The decision to import more diesel coincided with a decision to close a part of Skikda refinery (east of Algeria), the beginning of May 2012, and start routine maintenance work during , a period preceding of an increased demand of refined products to coincide with the holidays, forcing the government to import larger quantities of fuel, oil and gasoline and pay down the national refining capacity of the Algerian government through calling on Lithuania and Russia, for the supply of diesel and gasoline in all their forms, to meet the deficit in supplying the local market with refined products, Echorouk reports. It blames the previous policy of increasing production of crude oil over the development of refinery capacity.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Sonatrach-plans...