Algeria’s Sonatrach Moves Ahead with Niger Oil Drilling Plan

Algeria’s state-owned oil company, Sonatrach, is preparing to begin drilling at the Kafra oil block in northern Niger, with operations expected to start in early April. The update was reported by the Algeria Press Service (APS).

Drilling and Project Development

According to APS, drilling will commence once the necessary equipment and supplies arrive on site. Hakim Zebiri, director of international cooperation at Algeria’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mines, described the move as a key step in advancing energy development in Niger.

The drilling follows a preparatory phase and marks a new stage in the project’s progression. The work will involve several wells, although the exact number has not been disclosed. At this stage, the focus is on assessing the field’s resource potential and determining its viability for further development.

The Kafra oil block covers approximately 23,737 square kilometres and extends from sedimentary basins linked to Algeria. It is located near the Tafassasset basin, which is already being developed on the Algerian side.

Exploration in the area began in 2018 with the drilling of the KFR-1 well, followed by a second well, KFRN-1, in 2019. Operations were later suspended before resuming in January 2026 during a visit by Algeria’s Energy Minister, Mohamed Arkab.

Resources and Partnership

Data from Sonatrach and its subsidiary SIPEX indicate that the KFR-1 well contains an estimated 168 million barrels of heavy oil, while the KFRN-1 well is believed to hold close to 100 million recoverable barrels of waxy, paraffin-rich crude.

The project is being developed under a production-sharing agreement between Sonatrach, through SIPEX, and Niger’s state-owned oil company SONIDEP, with Sonatrach acting as the operator.