Kafra Oil Project Moves Forward as April Drilling Nears

Algeria’s state-owned energy company Sonatrach is set to begin drilling operations in early April at the Kafra oil block in northern Niger, marking a renewed push to develop the long-delayed project.

According to the Algeria Press Service, drilling will commence once equipment and supplies are in place, following the completion of preparatory activities. The operation is expected to involve multiple wells aimed at assessing the field’s commercial potential.

Hakim Zebiri, director of international cooperation at Algeria’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mines, described the move as a significant step toward advancing energy resource development in Niger.

The Kafra oil block spans approximately 23,737 square kilometres and extends from sedimentary basins in Algeria. It lies near the Tafassasset basin, which is already under operation on the Algerian side.

The field was initially discovered in 2018 with the drilling of the KFR-1 well, followed by a second well, KFRN-1, in 2019. Activities were later suspended for several years before resuming in January 2026 during a visit by Algeria’s Energy Minister, Mohamed Arkab.

Estimates from Sonatrach and its subsidiary SIPEX indicate that the KFR-1 well holds about 168 million barrels of heavy oil, while the KFRN-1 well contains nearly 100 million recoverable barrels of waxy, paraffin-rich crude.

The project is being developed under a production-sharing agreement between Sonatrach, through SIPEX, and Niger’s state-owned oil company SONIDEP, with Sonatrach acting as the operator.

The resumption of drilling is expected to determine the viability of the field and could pave the way for further investment in Niger’s upstream oil sector.