PetroVietnam’s Most Successful African Project: Over Two Decades of “Black Gold” Triumph in the Sahara Desert

This groundbreaking project has been a collaborative effort between Petrovietnam and its Algerian partners, spanning several years of dedicated execution.

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Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb at the Vietnam-Algeria Economic Forum. Photo: VGP

This is the Bir Seba oil and gas project, a joint venture between Vietnam’s PetroVietnam Exploration and Production Corporation (PVEP), Algeria’s National Oil Company (Sonatrach), and Thailand’s PTTEP.

The project was highlighted during the Vietnam-Algeria Economic Forum on November 19, 2025, attended by both Prime Ministers.

The Bir Seba project exemplifies the encouraging progress in economic cooperation between Vietnam and Algeria.

At the forum, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that Vietnamese businesses can invest in Algeria across diverse sectors, from tea cultivation to semiconductor production, and urged immediate action.

The first pillar of cooperation mentioned was energy. The Prime Minister stressed that PetroVietnam and other firms should expand partnerships in oil exploration, refining, and fertilizer production for export, with a focus on renewable energy like wind and solar power.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh addressing the forum. Photo: VGP

Earlier that day, during talks with Algerian Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested continued support for PetroVietnam’s expanded investments in Algeria, aiming for stable operations and greater contributions to Algeria’s development.

PetroVietnam’s Two-Decade Investment in Algeria

PetroVietnam’s delegation, led by Tran Binh Minh, visits the Bir Seba oil field in Algeria. Photo: PetroVietnam

On November 17, 2025, as part of the 13th Vietnam-Algeria Inter-Governmental Committee meeting, PetroVietnam’s delegation inspected the Bir Seba field in Block 433a&416b, located in Hassi Messaoud, Ouargla Province, 600 km south of Algiers.

The contract for Block 433a&416b, signed in 2002 between PIDC (now PVEP) and Sonatrach, led to the formation of the Groupment Bir Seba (GBRS) joint venture in 2008, comprising PVEP, Sonatrach, and PTTEP.

Since commercial production began on August 12, 2015, GBRS has maintained safe and stable operations, averaging over 5 million barrels annually. Cumulative production has reached approximately 61.56 million barrels.

Expansion plans include connecting wells in EPC #6 and further development to increase capacity, targeting a total production of 114.6 million barrels by 2033.

PetroVietnam’s delegation at the BSR-25 wellhead, a key production site. Photo: PetroVietnam

After a decade of preparation, at 11:10 AM Algeria time (5:10 PM Vietnam time) on August 12, 2015, the Central Processing Facility (CPF) received oil from four initial wells (BRS-6bis, BRS-9, BRS-12, BRS-14), marking the ignition of the flare in the Sahara Desert.

This milestone underscores PetroVietnam’s achievements and elevates Vietnam’s oil and gas industry to new heights.

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