• Sonatrach to begin drilling at Kafra block in Niger
• Operations target oil potential across 23,737 sq km area
• Project revives 2018 discovery with estimated 268 million barrels

Algeria's state-owned oil company Sonatrach plans to begin drilling operations in early April at the Kafra oil block in northern Niger. The Algeria Press Service (APS) reported the information on Tuesday.

"Drilling operations will begin in the coming days, as soon as the necessary equipment and supplies arrive," the official news agency said. The outlet cited Hakim Zebiri, director of international cooperation at the Algerian Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mines, who noted the operation represents a significant step toward the development of energy resources in Niger.

APS reported that the operations follow a preparatory phase and mark a new phase in the project's development. The work will involve several wells. The exact number of wells has not been specified at this stage, but the drilling aims to assess the field’s potential.

The Kafra oil block covers 23,737 square kilometers and extends from sedimentary basins in Algeria, according to information reported by La Voie d’Algérie in January 2026. The area is adjacent to the Tafassasset basin, which is already operated on the Algerian side.

The field was discovered in 2018 with the drilling of the KFR-1 well, followed in 2019 by a second well, KFRN-1, the outlet said. Operations were later halted for several years before resuming in January 2026 during a visit by Algerian Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab, TSA Algérie reported.

Data provided by Sonatrach and its subsidiary SIPEX indicate that the KFR-1 well contains approximately 168 million barrels of heavy oil. The KFRN-1 well is estimated to contain nearly 100 million recoverable barrels of waxy, paraffin-rich oil.

The project is based on a production-sharing contract signed between Sonatrach, through its subsidiary SIPEX, and the Nigerien company SONIDEP, as reported by Agence Ecofin in February 2022. The partnership names Sonatrach as operator.

Abdel-Latif Boureima