Statoil Starts Normal Operations at In Amenas Gas Facility in Algeria

Statoil has started operations at In Amenas gas production facility in Algeria.

“The corporate executive committee has decided that ordinary rotation is to be resumed at the plant as all defined security measures have been implemented,” the Norwegian firm said in a statement last week.

Statoil, in June, approved the return of temporary manning to the plant to finalise the implementation of the outstanding security requirements.

The facility was attacked by al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in January last year and 800 people were taken hostage while 40 employees were killed. 

In Amenas is a wet gas field operated through a joint venture between Sonatrach, BP and Statoil. It accounts for little over 10 percent of Algeria's gas production. 

“The decision to resume ordinary operations also at In Amenas is the result of a thorough and stepwise process of identifying necessary security measures, implementing them and validating that they are in place and operational,” said Lars Christian Bacher, executive vice president for Development & Production International (DPI).