Qatar’s Power International Holding (PIH) is exploring new investment opportunities in Algeria’s oil and gas sector, including potential cooperation with state-owned energy company Sonatrach. The discussions took place on Tuesday between Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab and PIH CEO Ramez El Khayat in Algiers.
The meeting was attended by Qatar’s ambassador to Algeria and a high-level delegation from PIH and its subsidiary, UCC Holding, which operates in the oil and gas industry.
Qatar explores partnership opportunities with Sonatrach
Talks focused on ways to strengthen cooperation between Sonatrach and UCC Holding across several areas of Algeria’s hydrocarbons industry.
The discussions covered both upstream and downstream activities, as well as transportation. Refining and petrochemicals were also identified as potential areas for cooperation.
Commercial opportunities involving liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and petroleum products were discussed as part of the talks.
The meeting comes as Algeria seeks to attract additional foreign investment into its hydrocarbons sector while expanding activities beyond traditional crude oil and natural gas production.
Algeria presents investment opportunities
Arkab presented the Qatari delegation with an overview of Algeria’s hydrocarbons development program and highlighted the investment incentives available under the country’s Hydrocarbons Law.
The minister also invited PIH and its subsidiaries to participate in the upcoming Algerian Bid Round 2026, which covers exploration blocks and available fields for development.
The bidding round forms part of Algeria’s efforts to increase exploration and development activity in the hydrocarbons sector and attract international energy companies.
PIH signals interest in the Algerian market
El Khayat expressed his group’s interest in expanding its investments in Algeria and developing projects with Sonatrach, particularly initiatives capable of generating greater value within the hydrocarbons industry.
The Qatari CEO also praised the strength of relations between Algeria and Qatar and pointed to Algeria’s investment framework as a positive factor for international investors.
The meeting concluded with an agreement in principle to continue discussions. Technical talks involving the Qatari group and Sonatrach are expected to take place in the coming weeks.
Those discussions will focus on identifying practical mechanisms for developing the proposed partnership projects and assessing how they could move toward implementation.
Sami B. is the founder and editor of Algeria News Gate, an independent English-language platform covering Algeria’s political, economic, and business developments. Based in Europe, he reports on official announcements, economic trends, and international relations involving Algeria.