•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Vietnam has joined an international bidding round to explore oil and gas in Algeria, as Algeria invites investment through a process aimed at improving resource extraction efficiency, strengthening transparency, and attracting foreign investment to its energy sector.
The event took place at the International Conference Center in Algiers, where ALNAFT launched the bidding for seven oil and gas blocks. Among the participating companies was PVEP, a subsidiary of PetroVietnam (the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group).
ALNAFT said the bid round is designed to allow domestic and international oil companies to submit bids and compete for exploration rights in the proposed areas. The agency emphasized that the process will be carried out in strict compliance with Algeria’s current legal regulations, while aligning with international standards for transparency and competition.
Representatives from Algerian authorities, embassies, and oil companies from around the world attended the bidding event. Algerian authorities expect the round to broaden participation by international energy groups, increase exploration capacity, and add value across the oil and gas supply chain.
The decision is also linked to Algeria’s ongoing energy reforms, which the government describes as a pillar of the economy. The stated goal is to build a stable, transparent, and more attractive investment environment for foreign partners.
Algeria is a major energy producer and exporter in North Africa. It ranks fifth in production and second in natural gas exports, while placing 13th in oil production and ninth in oil exports.
At the Vietnam-Algeria Economic Forum on 19 November 2025, PVEP and Sonatrach signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) covering cooperation in the oil and energy sectors. The MOU includes identifying joint investment opportunities in exploration, development, and extraction in Algeria and third countries; studying initiatives in crude oil and LNG businesses; considering downstream industrial development; exchanging and coordinating oil-and-gas technical services; training and capacity building; implementing development and new-technology initiatives; and exchanging experts and experience on storage, carbon sequestration, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
PVEP is currently participating in oil development projects in Blocks 433a and 416b—Bir Seba in the Ouargla province, more than 600 km south of Algiers. The projects are described as one of PetroVietnam’s most successful overseas oil and gas efforts, reflecting the management and operational capabilities of Vietnamese engineers internationally.
Premium gym chains are entering a “golden era” that is ending or already in decline, as rising operating costs collide with shifting consumer preferences toward more flexible, community-based ways to exercise. Long-term memberships are shrinking, margins are pressured by higher rents and facility expenses, and competition from smaller, more personalized…
