Algeria seeks to allay energy concerns

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HOUSTON, March 6 (UPI) -- Algeria maintains a strong position as a leader in the development of natural gas despite January's terrorist attack, a minister said from Houston.

Algerian Energy Minister Youcef Yousfi spoke at the IHS CERAWeek energy conference in Houston about opportunities in Algeria.

Militants sympathetic to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb stormed the In Amenas natural gas facility in eastern Algeria in January. Foreign workers with BP and Norwegian energy company Statoil were among the dead in the attack.

"Despite this terrible event, Algeria remains a stable country," Yousfi was quoted by the Houston Chronicle's energy blog Fuel Fix as saying.

Yousfi sought to allay concerns about Algeria's stability by focusing on its role as a world energy leader.

"We are in the process of evaluating the unconventional hydrocarbons, shale gas, tight gas, shale oil and tight oil," he said.

Statoil in late February said the consortium managing the In Amenas gas complex in Algeria was working to resume full production. BP said production there was targeted at around 870 million cubic feet per day, making it the largest such facility in Algeria.