The Minister of State and Minister of Hydrocarbons, Mohamed Arkab, received today, Thursday, at the headquarters of his ministerial department, Ulf Heitmüller, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the German Energy Complex VNG AG, in the presence of executives from both sides.
The Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mines stated in a statement on its Facebook account that: “The meeting comes within the framework of strengthening cooperation and partnership relations between Algeria and Germany in the field of energy, as well as following up on the outcomes of the memorandum of understanding concluded by Sonatrach with the German company VNG AG on June 17, 2026, which aims to explore new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of green hydrogen and ammonia and reducing methane emissions, in line with the goals of the transition.” Energy and sustainable development.
During the talks, the statement adds, the two parties reviewed the reality and prospects of existing cooperation between Sonatrach and VNG, where business development and investment opportunities in the hydrocarbon sector were discussed, especially in the field of natural gas, and the enhancement of trade exchanges between the two sides in the fields of gas marketing and transportation, in addition to discussing opportunities to expand the partnership to include new value-added projects.
The discussions also addressed ways to enhance cooperation in the areas of low-carbon technologies applied in the natural gas industry, programs to reduce methane emissions, as well as developing joint projects in the field of green hydrogen and its derivatives, especially green ammonia.
On this occasion, the Minister of State affirmed Algeria’s commitment to continuing to develop the hydrocarbons sector and enhancing its attractiveness for investment, reviewing the reforms initiated by the Algerian state to improve the business climate, especially the legal and regulatory frameworks that provide appropriate conditions for developing strategic partnerships, transferring technology, exchanging experiences, and implementing projects of mutual benefit.
For his part, Ulf Heitmüller expressed his satisfaction with the existing level of cooperation with Sonatrach, praising Algeria’s position as a reliable energy supplier and a strategic partner for Europe. He also stressed the interest of the VNG complex in strengthening its cooperation with Sonatrach and expanding the areas of partnership, especially in the fields of natural gas, low-emission technologies, and green hydrogen, according to the statement.
