Algeria and Niger launch drilling operations for Kafra South-East 1 well in Agadez

This project is a significant step in the energy and industrial cooperation between Algeria and Niger, aligning with the directives of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Nigerien Head of State General Abdourahamane Tiani. The Algerian Prime Minister described this as adding another building block to the strategic partnership between the two nations. This initiative follows the commissioning of the Niamey power plant just over two months prior, implementing the roadmap established during the second session of the Algerian-Nigerien Joint High Commission in March.

The Kafra South-East 1 project aims to thoroughly evaluate the hydrocarbon potential in northern Niger before moving to development and commercial exploitation phases. For Niger, this represents a major opportunity to enhance its natural resources, increase energy sovereignty, and boost national oil production. Algerian companies, including SIPEX, Sonatrach's international exploration subsidiary, and ENAFOR, are working on the ground in close collaboration with Niger's national company, Sonidep.

The project in the desert region of Agadez required exceptional mobilization to overcome natural and logistical constraints, including transporting the 2,000-horsepower ENF-13 drilling machine over 2,000 kilometers from Algeri