Algerian energy group Sonatrach is holding talks with various international technology companies to establish five petrochemical joint ventures, according to local media reports citing CEO Amine Mazouzi.

The ventures are said to comprise an ethane and LPG cracker complex producing 1m t/y ethylene, a propane-dehydrogenation complex producing 600,000 t/y PP and a methanol and derivatives facility with a capacity of 1m t/y. The other two complexes are for synthetic rubber and tires.

In addition, Sonatrach has launched three further projects. The first is the restoration of the ethylene plant at the Skikda petrochemical complex to produce 120,000 t/y. The others are the construction of a 200,000 t/y methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) plant and a 100,000 t/y linear alkyl benzene (LAB) plant.

Amec Foster Wheeler has been awarded a contract to carry out feed-type basic studies for the MTBE plant and assist Sonatrach in analyzing technical bids for the project. A contract for the LAB plant is due to be signed in January.