High voltage electricity poles threatens to paralyze oil industries in Algeria

The capital of black oil Hassi Messaoud may experience a disaster which would take more than 60,000 lives due to high voltage cables.

• Some electricity poles with 30,000 volt cables were warped by recent strong wind in the area. On the other hand, Algeria’s energy group Sonatrach did not intervene to save the area from a real catastrophe.
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• The fall of the electricity poles can stop oil pumping. They are located near to the International Airport of Hassi Messaoud. They can fall on gas pipelines as the distance between the electricity poles and the pump is estimated at 20 metres only. This can destroyed the city if there is a contact between electricity and gas.
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• According to oil experts, if Sonatrach and Sonelgaz do not have control the situation and set up protection mechanisms, a terrible disaster will take place.
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• The executive decree No 05 – 127 categorised Hassi Messaoud as a big dangers area and has froze all its activities since 2004.
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• Sources at Sonelgaz say the company can not intervene as Hassi Messaoud is an oil site and no one can enter it without an authorisation from Sonatrach.
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• Previously, a man was killed in the explosion of an oil container next to a foreign company’s oil excavator.