Hassi Bir Rekaiz is a producing onshore oil and gas development in eastern Algeria.
The asset was originally owned by SONATRACH (51%), alongside PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), each with 24.5%.
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In September 2021, PTTEP received Algerian Government approval to acquire CNOOC’s share. Upon completion of the transaction, PTTEP’s participating interest rose to 49%, while SONATRACH kept its 51% stake.
The field’s operations are managed by Groupement Hassi Bir Rekaiz, a joint operating company that acts as the operator on behalf of the partners.
Development of the Hassi Bir Rekaiz field has been structured as a phased programme.
The first phase commenced production in June 2022 with an initial target of 13,000 barrels per day (bpd), and crude sales began in October 2022. Output later moved above the start-up target, with production reaching 17,000bpd by August 2023. Average crude production in 2025 was 15,464bpd.
Work is now focused on studies and planning for a second phase intended to expand capacity to 30,000bpd by 2029 and 60,000bpd by 2030.
Hassi Bir Rekaiz field location
The Hassi Bir Rekaiz project area covers approximately 1,916km² within the Berkine Basin in eastern Algeria.
Development background
PTTEP and its partners advanced the project after a multi-year exploration campaign. Between 2013 and 2016, the consortium drilled 11 exploration wells and encountered oil and associated gas in ten of them, supporting the case for development across the licence.
A development plan was subsequently submitted to ALNAFT, Algeria’s hydrocarbons regulator, and approval was obtained in 2018.
PTTEP moved into development execution in March 2019 following agreement with partners and regulatory approval of the plan. The production term for Hassi Bir Rekaiz runs for 25 years from the date of approval. The initial scope included drilling 14 production wells and constructing export pipelines linking the field to a nearby processing facility.
Hassi Bir Rekaiz field development details
The Hassi Bir Rekaiz development concept includes drilling more than 100 production wells, supported by injection wells to support enhanced oil recovery. Fluids are handled through a central processing facility where hydrocarbons are separated, stabilised and dehydrated before export via pipelines.
The second phase development concept is split into subphases: phase 2A and phase 2B.
Phase 2A includes a new central processing facility with a nameplate capacity of 31,500bpd and an expansion option to 63,000bpd under phase 2B.
Phase one infrastructure will also be integrated into the second phase, and the associated pipeline infrastructure is expected to extend beyond 217km.
Contractors involved
For phase one, Entrac International, part of the Engineering Procurement and Project Management Group, provided design, supply, installation, commissioning and start-up for a slug catcher and mobile test separators, together with related services.
Sofregaz carried out an accelerated engineering study and cost estimate covering 22 production scenarios for the first phase, assessing cases ranging from natural depletion to enhanced recovery options including gas lift and water injection.
For the second phase, io consulting was appointed to undertake front-end engineering design work.
Viridien was contracted by Groupement Hassi Bir Rekaiz in April 2025 to reprocess and generate new images from two existing 3D seismic surveys covering a combined 2,400km² across the Hassi Bir Rekaiz licence area.
In October 2025, Egypt’s state-owned Petroleum Projects and Technical Consultations Company (Petrojet), received a preliminary award for the general contractor role on the phase two development under a $1.08bn (E£56.56bn) contract. Petrojet is expected to deliver the work in a consortium with Italy-based engineering and contracting company Arkad.
