Saipem has been awarded a FEED (Front End Engineering Design) contract relating to the Phosphate Integrated project, for the production of fertilizers in Algeria. The Italian company specified that the award of the contract was carried out through a dual FEED process that requires the design activity to be conducted both by Saipem and by a second contending operator. Sonatrach then will select the best technical-economic solution among the two and will directly award the EPC contract (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) for the execution of the planned work.

The dual FEED contract awarded provides for the supply of the front-end engineering services for the design of a new industrial complex, consisting of the mining infrastructures for phosphate mining located in the Bled El Hadba area and process units and ancillary units to support the fertilizer production in the Oued Keberit area. The purpose of the work also includes the adaptation of the port of Annaba to the export of products and the construction of railway sections that connect mining and production facilities to the line main railway.

This is the first integrated project in the field of mining mining and fertilizer production in Algeria that will help to diversify the Algerian economy and to strengthen the country's position in the global market for fertilizers. Once in operation, the plants will be able to to extract ten million tons of phosphates and to produce six million tons of fertilizers per year.

Saipem has been present in Algeria since 1968 and has carried out its over time infrastructures for the treatment and transport of hydrocarbons, electricity production plants, as well as the drilling of oil wells.