Page 9 - AfrOil Week 26 2021

AfrOil PERFORMANCE AfrOil

Algeria’s domestic fuel consumption

contracted by 12.7% y/y last year

ALGERIA ALGERIA’S domestic fuel consumption inclu- This downswing occurred as drivers reacted
sive of gasoline and diesel contracted by 12.7% to a doubling of gasoline prices at the pump by
year on year in 2020, falling to 12.58mn tonnes. curtailing their purchases, specially of premium
The decline was largely a result of lower pre- gasoline. Premium gasoline consumption was
mium gasoline consumption, according to halved in those six years, dropping from 2.04mn
Samir Houghlaouene, head of the Hydrocar- tonnes in 2015 to 1.29mn tonnes in 2020. ™
bons Regulatory Authority.
According to a report from Algerie Presse
Service (APS), Houghlaouene said last week that
demand for gasoline sank to 3.36mn tonness
overall in 2020 from 3.91mn tonnes in 2019.
This was partly the result of sinking demand for
unleaded gasoline, which saw consumption lev-
els drop to 1.33mn tonnes in 2020, compared to
1.51mn tonnes in 2019.
The decline in Algeria’s overall fuel consump-
tion occurred even though the total number of
vehicles operating within the country increased
by 440,000 to 6.42mn units between 2016 and
2020. Algeria’s gasoline consumption shrank by
a quarter in the six years between 2015 and 2020,
falling from 4.43mn tonnes at the beginning of
this period to 3.36mn tonnes at the end. Algeria’s consumption of unleaded gasoline declined last year (Image: WikiMedia)

POLICY
Tripartite talks expected to expand

regional energy collaboration

EGYPT DISCUSSIONS between neighbours in the to intensify consultation and co-ordination
Middle East are likely to lead to improved inter- between the three countries on the most impor-
connectivity in oil, gas and electricity. tant regional issues”.
A meeting was held in Baghdad between Meanwhile, a statement from Kadhimi’s
Egypt, Jordan and Iraq that comes under a office said: “This visit is an important message
framework tripartite co-operation mechanism to our people that we are mutually supportive
that was launched during their first meeting in and unified to serve our people and the people
Cairo two years ago. Meanwhile, Jordan’s Energy of the region.”
Minister met with her Syrian counterpart in Following the event, Iraqi Foreign Minister
Amman to discuss infrastructure progress. Fuad Hussein told a press conference that the
topics discussed had included economic and
Three-way collaboration political co-operation, large-scale industrial
Following the meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister projects, and trade in medicine and agricultural
Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Jordan’s King Abdullah pesticides.
II, the office of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Following the meetings in Amman, Egyptian
el-Sisi said that the leaders had discussed several Minister of Electricity Mohamed Shaker that the
areas of common interest, including combating three countries had proposed a 1,000-MW pro-
terrorism and economic co-operation. ject “to support the exchange of electrical power
It added that “the leaders stressed the need and take advantage of the different peak times.”

Week 26 30•June•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P9