Hassi Messaoud Refinery Construction Passes 20% Mark

The new Hassi Messaoud refinery project in Algeria has officially transitioned into an active construction phase. According to the latest semi-annual report from Sinopec Engineering Group, the project's overall advancement rate surpassed 20% by the end of June 2026. This marks a decisive step for the development, moving from a preparatory phase, where it was categorized in late 2025, to on-site execution.

Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) activities are now operating at full speed, laying the groundwork for subsequent civil engineering and mechanical assembly works. As part of this progression, Shaanxi Chemical Construction has secured a key contract lot focusing on industrial utilities, which encompasses units for compressed air, nitrogen, gas, condensates, and caustic soda storage. The intensified construction efforts at Hassi Messaoud, alongside other projects, significantly boosted Sinopec's revenues from the Algerian market to 1.807 billion yuan, approximately 250 million dollars, in the first half of 2026, marking a 365% increase from the previous year and representing over 5% of the Chinese engineering giant's global consolidated revenues.

This strategic infrastructure project, located within the vital Hassi Messaoud oil basin, is designed to address two priority challenges for Algeria's energy sector. The next critical phase for Sonatrach and its partners will involve accelerating on-site mechanical assemblies and establishing the timeline for initial blank tests, moving the project closer to operational readiness.