The Algerian state-owned company, Sonatrach, and Italian Eni signed several cooperation agreements in various energy areas, reported All Africa. Sonatrach’s CEO, Amine Mazouzi, and Eni’s CEO, Claudio Descalzi, signed the deals in Rome.

The agreements allow the extending of exploration both in Algeria and abroad, namely the development of renewable energies, refining, petrochemicals, and research and development. Furthermore, they come as part of the strengthening the long-term relations in the upstream activity and the marketing of natural gas and liquefied natural gas between the two companies, according to Energia 16.

In related news, in mid November, Eni announced that it would continue to buy Algerian gas in 2017 with the same vein as its purchases for 2016. Descalzi said that the company had discussed its expected volume purchases with Sonatrach every year. Accordingly, the Italian company had 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.