Algeria - Gas Field: Rhourde Nouss.

The second largest gas producer located south of Hassi Messaoud, the Rhourde Nouss region is officially estimated to have 370 BCM of proven gas reserves and over 1 BCM of probable reserves. The area consists of five fields: Rhourde Nouss (the first discovery in 1980), Rhourde Nouss Sud-Est, Rhourde Adra, Rhourde Chouff and Rhourde Hamra. The gas is in a Triassic formation at a depth of 9,850 feet. Around the fields are oil producing structures. Rhourde Chouff and Rhourde Hamra were developed in the late 1980s and brought on stream in 1992. The older fields were developed further by an Italian group led by Snamprogetti and completed in 1987. New facilities include a gas gathering and distribution grid of about 350 km, four degasolining units to process 41 MCM/day of gas from the Rhourde Nouss and Rhourde Adra fields and a 39 MCM/day reinjection station. To fulfill its export obligation to Spain, Sonatrach in mid-1996 contracted SNC Lavalin of Canada for a $345m project to raise production at the Rhourde Nouss system by 270 MCF/day. On Feb. 6, 1998, Lavalin got an addendum, worth $120m, to upgrade existing facilities and boost production further. Work was to include a new gas slug catcher, modifications to the dehydration system of the existing condensate extraction lines and minor changes to other installations. Lavalin was to carry out the engineering, procurement and construction.