Air Products (AP) and Sonatrach, the largest state-owned oil and gas company in Africa, recently have signed two gas production and delivery agreements. Conducted through both companies’ joint venture (JV), HELIOS, the deals have a combined value of US $100 million.

Through the deal, Sonatrach will recover helium from two existing LNG facilities (GL1Z and GL3Z), and that helium will be delivered to HELIOS’ existing liquid helium plant in Arzew. The new feedstock will increase the amount of liquid helium produced by the JV plant.

Another important component of agreement is that AP will build, and HELIOS will own and operate, two new ASUs in Algeria. One will be located in the Hassi Messaoud District, with the second in Arzew.

Once in operation, these plants will produce nitrogen, oxygen and argon, which will be supplied to the Algerian and Maghreb markets through Sonatrach’s subsidiary, COGIZ.