In Salah Gas, a joint venture between Sonatrach, BP and Statoil, has commenced operations of its Southern Fields gas project in Algeria, a report said.

The project is the latest in the development of seven gas fields in central Algeria, reported World Oil.

The Southern Fields project involves the development of four dry gas fields and is expected to maintain planned production at 9 Bcm per annum, according to the report.

The drilling of 26 new wells in the Southern Fields, which began in 2014, is planned to continue until 2018.

The project also includes a new 500 MMscfd gas dehydration central processing facility, brownfield modifications to existing processing facilities, 150 km of carbon steel export pipelines; 160 km of 13 per cent chrome corrosion resistant alloy infield flowlines, the report highlighted.