Algeria's has reduced its petroleum products import bill for 2016 by $1billion; the deputy chairman of downstream operations at Sonatrach, Akli Remini, revealed.

According to Remini, the renovation of the two refinery units of Arzew and Skikda “has made it possible for us to reduce our bill of petroleum products imports, such as fuel, by one billion dollars for the 2016 fiscal year.”

The restoration of the two refineries, out of the six under the State-owned energy group's downstream operations, has brought about an increase in the production of petroleum products, which has currently reached 30 million tonnes a year, the Sonatrach official said.

Sonatrach plans to begin the exporting of some of these products by 2022, while local needs will be totally met by 2040.

“Those goals are expected to be achieved with the construction of four additional refinery units in Biskra, Hassi Messaoud, Arzew and Skikda,” Remini said.

He added that each of the new units will produce five million tonnes of petroleum products a year.

Anita Fatunji