Algerian interim president Abdelkader Bensalah
IOCs retain Algerian caution
Sceptical Western investors adopt wait-and-see attitude even after Algeria’s interim government agreed a draft hydrocarbons law
Algeria is set to move away from an onerous tax regime that has seen international oil companies (IOCs) stay away in recent years, under a draft law announced in October by interim president Abdelkader Bensalah, who replaced the ousted Abdelaziz Bouteflika in May after weeks of riots. But it remains to seen whether it will be enough to fire potential investors’ enthusiasm. Officials say the law is a return to the IOC-friendly regulatory framework of the 1980s and 1990s, which resulted in rapid growth in oil and gas output. That framework was ditched in 2005, but tighter rules deterred IOCs and saw exploration stagnate. Auctions for exploration licenses flopped in 2010 and 2014, with only si
Also in this section
21 April 2026
After overcoming a COVID-induced demand collapse with several years of successful market management, geopolitical events have conspired to provide the pact’s biggest test to date
21 April 2026
The regime’s policy of using nuclear ambiguity as a deterrent may have failed but it has realised it has other cards to play, while its neighbours are reappraising their approach to security
21 April 2026
As the global energy system undergoes a fundamental realignment, Algihaz Holdings has established itself as a critical player bridging conventional energy markets and the next generation of renewable infrastructure.
21 April 2026
The 25th WPC Energy Congress is taking place from 11-15 October 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.
