In Algeria, the In Amenas gas processing plant which began production test at its third train one week ago, will soon be back on stream operating at full capacity, a source at Sonatrach said.

The plant's second train is currently undergoing planned maintenance and is expected to start producing its 9 Bcm yearly capacity by June for the first time since the 2013 attack that killed 40 oil workers and affected output.The coming back of production at In Amenas, which delivered about 11.5% of Algeria's entire natural gas output before the attack, is coming as Algeria and the European Union are in negotiations to improve energy cooperation in order to diversify E.U. supplies.

“Test production has been launched successfully, and the official opening is expected very shortly. In the third week of June the plant will come back to full production at 9 billion cubic metre per year,” the top Sonatrach source, told Reuters.

In Amenas is operated by BP, Statoil and Sonatrach.

Algeria has been advised to become accustomed to more competitive markets and attract the investment required to pump more gas to the north again following years of declining exports.

Although the OPEC country is EU's third largest gas supplier after Russia and Norway, its export capacity via the three pipelines and LNG shipments across the Mediterranean Sea is underused.

The government is confident that lots of projects, mostly in the southwestern Sahara will generate new production and assist in stabilizing its flow of gas to Europe in the medium term.

Anita Fatunji