On 28 June 2018, Petrofac announced that it has agreed to sell its entire 45% stake in the Chergui concession onshore Pelagian Basin on the Kerkennah island, Gulf of Gabes, to Perenco. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2018. On the Chergui concession, Petrofac operates the Chergui gas field which currently has an output of around 24 MMcf/d of gas and 300 b/d of condensate. Partner of Petrofac in Chergui is Tunisian state company ETAP with 55%.  In 2016 and early 2017, production from the field was severely disrupted by protests from the local population. The situation has normalized since mid-2017 when a wave of civil unrest which swept the whole of southern Tunisia subsided. Petrofacâs decision to sell Chergui is in line with its strategy to focus on core and less capital intensive activities. Chergui being the companyâs only asset in Tunisia, the sale marks also Petrofacâs exit from the country.  Perenco, on the other hand, continues its growth in Tunisia after taking over OMVâs interest in the Ashtart, Douleb, Semmama and Tamesmida fields in March 2017 which added around 2,200 b/d of oil net to Perenco.  The last development well, Chergui 8 was put on-stream by Petrofac around July 2014.  The 90 Bcf Chergui gas field was discovered by Amoco in 1992 in the then Sud Kerkennah block. Gas is produced from the Eocene Reineche Member foraminiferal limestone.  Petrofac started commercial gas and condensate production from the Chergui Field in August 2008. The total cost of the development is approximately USD 100 million including the Chergui field central production facility in Kerkennah Island. The treated gas is transported through a 57km 8" pipeline to the 24" STEG's pipeline in Ain Turkia, north of Sfax. Condensate is trucked to a pipeline facility at Sidi El Itayem field just west of Sfax. The condensate is then transported via the pipeline to La Skhirra where it is sold into the international market.
Perenco acquired 45% op. interest in the Chergui block/field (168kmÂ²) from Petrofac (->0%, ETAP 55%).