Algeria’s National Agency for the Valorization of Hydrocarbon Resources (ALNAFT) has unveiled the country’s Petroleum Licensing Round 2026, offering seven new onshore oil and gas exploration blocks, in a bid to strengthen global energy security, increase hydrocarbon production, and direct foreign economic investment
The seven onshore blocks offered: Est Bordj Omar Driss I, Illizi Centre I, El M’Zaid Nord, El Borma II, El Hadjira III, El Benoud Est, and Touggourt Sud, are located in Ouargla, Illizi, Touggourt, and El Bayadh, and are estimated to contain hundreds of millions of barrels of oil and significant volumes of natural gas.
“The new bidding round will help strengthen global energy security and reinforce Algeria’s role as a regional energy hub,” said Hydrocarbons Minister Mohamed Arkab.
According to the country’s upstream agency, the bidding round, tagged “Algeria Bid Round 2026”, was declared open in April and attended by global energy investors, including the Minister of State, Minister of Hydrocarbons Mohamed Arkab, among ministers from the energy, industry, and knowledge economy sectors, and the CEO of Sonatrach in Algiers.
The Agency disclosed that the bidding process will begin the technical stage on June 1, with prospective bidders having access to tender documents and online presentations, followed by data sessions and clarifications running until October 31.
Bid submissions are due on November 26, and hydrocarbon contracts with the state-owned Algerian energy company Sonatrach are to be signed on January 31 next year under production-sharing or participation agreements depending on the block.
