In January 2018, fresh information emerged on the results of the AHT-1 H1 and H2 wells drilled by Sonatrach on the Tidikelt block between late 2014 and mid-2015. Arezki Hocini, Director General of the national agency for the valorization of hydrocarbons (ALNAFT) indicated at an algero-american energy forum in Houston that tests conducted by Sonatrach in the Ahnet Basin were encouraging. The gas recovery from the tested shale intervals is above the world average according to Hocini. He said that in the two wells completed so far, recoveries close to 9 Bcf per well can be achieved whereas the world average for shale gas wells is around 6 Bcf/well. Hocini confirmed that the gas flow rates from the two Algerian tests were commercial and that the gas recovery per well is higher than in a typical US shale gas well. In the US, shale gas production has boomed to the point that the country is now exporting gas after several years of imports. The horizontal wells AHT-1 H1 and H2 were designed to test the gas potential of the Lower Silurian and Upper Devonian shales which are well known source rocks in the Algerian Sahara. Results from these wells show that at this location, the Upper Devonian has a better gas potential than the Lower Silurian. In December 2014, it was reported that Algerian energy minister Youcef Yousfi described the results of the countryâs first shale gas test well as âvery promisingâ.Â  During the month, Sonatrach started testing operations at a pilot well designed to evaluate the shale gas potential in the Ahnet Basin of southern Algeria. Although no details were released, it is understood that a gas flow was achieved after fracking operations were conducted. The well, Ahnet 1 H2 (AHT-1 H2), is located near the town of In Salah, in the Tidikelt block, about 10km west of the Gour Mahmoud gas field. Sonatrach operates the Tidikelt block with a 100% interest. AHT-1 H2 is a horizontal side-track of AHT-1, a vertical pilot hole that was drilled in 2012. The horizontal drain was drilled at a depth of around 1,800 m and reached its TD in late November 2014.Â  Testing operations started in early December 2014. This well is the first shale gas test well in Algeria to have a long horizontal drain. The drain which follows the prospective shale layer has a length of around 1,000 m (2,000 m according to another source) and has been completed with 12 frac stages of 80 m each. Gas shows had been recorded while drilling and initial test results were described as encouraging. Sonatrach started drilling a second side-track, AHT-1 H1, in late December 2014. Drilling and testing operations were completed by mid-2015. Â 
Algeria (Ahnet B.) Gour Mahmoud (ISSF)