Italy’s Eni will continue to buy Algerian gas in 2017 with the same vein as its purchases for 2016, reported Platts. Eni’s CEO, Claudio Descalzi, said that the company discussed its expected volume purchases with Sonatrach every year. Accordingly, the Italian company has increased its gas imports from Algeria significantly in 2016, volumes averaged 46mcm/d in the first ten months of the year, with an average of 19mcm/d compared with the same period in 2015, informed Hellenic Shipping News.

Descalzi added that the Eni will continue buying the Algerian gas, yet its purchases are also related to the prevailing price conditions. Eni had a long-term gas contract with Sonatrach until 2019.  Furthermore, Eni and Algeria have signed a number of bilateral deals in 2016 including in the fields of upstream and renewable energy.

In late September, Egypt Oil&Gas reported that Sonatrach had signed a deal with Eni for a solar power plant, the 10MW photovoltaic facility would be launched before the end of 2016 in Ouargla in southern Algeria. It would supply the company’s Bir Rebaa field with electricity, allowing the gas to be used for other purposes.