Sonatrach Builds Swimming Pools In The North and Neglects Investments In The South!

Members of the council of the nation criticized the method of disbursing money by the Sonatrach hydrocarbons group, especially in terms of investments directed to the residents of the south, of Algeria saying that the so-called “dairy cow” builds swimming pools in the north and woefully neglects investments in the south, while calling for the presentation of the proceeds of the National Hydrocarbons Company and its development plan annually in front of the two chambers of parliament.

The senators of the council of the nation devoted a session to discuss the draft hydrocarbons law on Sunday to demand more attention to the residents of the south, especially that investments in these areas remain almost non-existent, taking advantage of the opportunity of the presence of Minister of Energy Mohamed Arkab in the upper chamber of the parliament to discuss the draft law on hydrocarbons to demand the unification of the workers of the compound.

Some MPs talk about the crisis of unemployment, which is dire in the south, saying: “When the youth of the south protest at the absence of employment positions fill the newspapers and are viewed as precedents of justice”.

According to those senators representing the southern provinces, investments in the south remain almost non-existent. According to them, Sonatrach prefers to build swimming pools in the north rather than invest in the south, which is isolated and deprived despite the promises of successive governments.

For his part, Minister of Energy Mohamed Arkab opened a session to discuss the text of the project by stressing that “the new hydrocarbons law is very necessary because of the intense competition in international markets, with a view to reviving the revenues of Algeria, which has fallen,” stressing that Algeria’s resources in the field of hydrocarbons remain “unexplored as ore efforts are needed to remedy this situation adding that “exploration activities for hydrocarbon resources remain insufficient,” he said.

According to the minister, about 60 percent of the country’s traditional hydrocarbon reserves have been depleted, adding that the gas reserves are also subject to export contracts until 2030, making it necessary to develop existing reserves for future use.

With regard to shale gas, Mohamed Arkab said that Algeria ranks third in the world in terms of capacity, which requires the exploitation of this resource and the harnessing of technological means to ensure optimal exploitation without adversely affecting the environment or harming the population.