Key Electromechanical Works Contract Signed for Hassi Messaoud Refinery

Chinese company Shaanxi Huajian Engineering Co., Ltd. has been awarded a significant contract for electromechanical installation works within the new Hassi Messaoud refinery project in Algeria. This agreement, reported on August 17 by Chinese media outlets including wedoany.com and Finance Sina, focuses on crucial units of the future refinery located in the Ouargla wilaya.

The awarded scope primarily concerns Package PK4, which encompasses the continuous catalytic reforming (CCR) unit, designed for a capacity of 1.35 million tons per year, along with its associated auxiliary service systems. Shaanxi Huajian's involvement further extends to the installation of various essential components, including natural gas, naphtha hydrotreatment, fuel-oil, and combustible gas systems, as well as industrial and instrumentation air networks, nitrogen, and condensates. Sonatrach leads the Hassi Messaoud project, which has an overall crude oil processing capacity of approximately 5 million tons annually.

The construction of the refinery, located in Haoud El-Hamra within Algeria’s primary oil basin, is managed by a consortium of Spain's Técnicas Reunidas and China's Sinopec, responsible for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC). This EPC contract is valued at around $4 billion, with Técnicas Reunidas holding a 51% stake and Sinopec 49%. The project's foundation stone was laid on February 24, 2025, following its relaunch, and it is anticipated that the initial refining units will begin operations by the end of 2027. This strategic undertaking is central to Algeria’s policy of expanding its national refining capabilities, thereby increasing local production of refined petroleum products and reducing dependence on imports.