Airport Upgrade Seen as Positive for Vietnam-Algeria Oil Cooperation

The completion of upgrades to the main runway at Krim Belkacem Airport in Hassi Messaoud is seen as a positive development for Vietnam-Algeria oil and gas cooperation, as it will make travel easier for Vietnamese oil and gas personnel working in Algeria.

Local officials said reinforcement and upgrading works on the airport’s main runway in Ouargla province have been fully completed, with final procedures underway before operations resume.

The infrastructure upgrade carries particular significance for Vietnam-Algeria oil and gas cooperation, as Hassi Messaoud is the center of Algeria’s oil industry and home to major oil fields and large-scale energy projects, including joint ventures involving Vietnamese companies.

Improved air connectivity will shorten travel time, enhance safety and ease access to oil and gas facilities located deep in the desert.

The upgraded airport will also facilitate personnel rotation, deployment of technical experts and working visits from Vietnam for project supervision and operations.

For Petrovietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP) and related entities, the improved airport infrastructure should help strengthen production management, technical cooperation programs and future investment expansion.

According to the latest technical assessment, a test flight successfully landed on the airport’s main 18/36 runway. The facility meets all current technical and civil aviation safety standards.

The entire project was carried out by Cosider, Algeria’s national construction company, which finalized all upgrade works on schedule and in line with project requirements.

Hassi Messaoud has long been regarded as Algeria’s oil capital and plays a central role in the country’s national energy strategy.

The airport upgrade is set to support not only growing aviation demand but also oil production, investment and industrial activities in Algeria’s southern desert region.

As oil and gas has remained a key pillar of economic cooperation between Vietnam and Algeria, the infrastructure improvement at Hassi Messaoud is likely to create new momentum for bilateral projects and further strengthen the longstanding friendship between the two countries.

As oil and gas has long been a prominent area of economic cooperation between Vietnam and Algeria, infrastructure improvements at Hassi Messaoud are set to provide fresh impetus for bilateral projects and further deepen the time-honoured friendship between the two countries.