THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Shell, BP Win Oil Concessions Deals In Algeria (ShellNews.net) Posted 10 April 05

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

ALGIERS -- The Algerian Oil Ministry Saturday announced winners of its sixth round of oil and natural gas licenses, with Royal Dutch/Shell Group (RD SC) winning two licenses and British Petroleum (BP) three concessions.

Other winners also were Australian BHB Billiton and a U.S.-Kuwaiti venture, Gulf Keystone. Both companies won two concessions each.

The government had put out tenders for 10 projects, but one of them, Bir Romane at Barkine basin, wasn't awarded.

Shell was awarded Zerafa concession, which includes blocks No. 345, 346 and 322 at Gourara basin, and Reggane Djebel Hirane, including blocks 328, 352 and 362 at the Reggane region.

BP won Hassi Matmat's blocks 410 and 411 at Ouedmya basin, Bourarhat south's blocks 203 and 231 at Illizi basin and Illizi southeast concession's blocks 232 and 241 at the same Illizi region.

BHB Billiton was awarded Hassi Bir Rekaiz's blocks 443, 423, 414 and 415 at Barkine basin and Oudoume with blocks No. 222B, 222C and 223 at Illizi basin, while the Gulf Keystone captured Djebel Bottana's block 129 at Constantine basin and Hassi Bahamou's blocks 317, 322, 347, 348 and 349 at Bechar-Ouednamous basin.

Algeria, with its large crude oil deposits and huge gas reserves, already has major foreign investments in its hydrocarbon sector and has signed over 30 production-sharing deals with international companies.

-By Ahmed Rouaba, Dow Jones Newswires, +213 704 85 981

Other winners were Australian BHB Billiton and a U.S.-U.A.E. venture, Gulf Keystone. Both companies won two concessions each. (In a headline at 9;33 a.m. EDT, "US-Kuwaiti Gulf Keystone Wins 2 Algeria Oil Concessions," and an item at 9:46 a.m. EDT "Shell , BP Win Oil Concessions Deals in Algeria", it was incorrected stated that Gulf Keystone was a U.S.-Kuwaiti venture.)

Click here for ShellNews.net HOME PAGE