Sonatrach-Led Hassi Messaoud Refinery Nears Construction Launch

The Hassi Messaoud refinery project, awarded by Sonatrach to a consortium of Spain's Técnicas Reunidas and China's Sinopec for nearly $4 billion, is progressing with preparatory work. Construction of various units is set to commence in the coming months. According to Chinese press, Shaanxi Chemical Construction Engineering has secured a contract for electro-mechanical installation and the construction of the PK4 continuous reforming unit, which boasts a capacity of 1.35 million tonnes per year, along with associated utilities.

This refinery is a pivotal component of Sonatrach's development program extending to 2030, designed to bolster the group's capacity for domestic crude oil processing by an additional 5 million tonnes annually. Following the laying of the first stone in February 2025, the project is gradually taking shape, with the anticipated delivery date scheduled for 2027. The scope of work for Shaanxi Chemical Construction includes numerous processing and utility units, such as natural gas, naphtha hydrotreating, continuous catalytic reforming, fuel oil, fuel gas, compressed air, nitrogen, condensate treatment, and caustic soda storage systems.

Located in the Hassi Messaoud region, the new refinery is poised to produce seven primary products that will meet stringent European