On January 6, 2026, the first meeting of the Joint Management Committee (JMC) for the Zerrafa II Project, a major natural gas project developed by Zhongman Petroleum in North Africa, successfully convened in Algeria, marking the project’s official entrance into a stage of substantive advancement under the new joint management mechanism. This not only further strengthens the strategic cooperative ties between Zhongman Petroleum and Sonatrach, but also lays a solid foundation for the full-scale launch of operations in 2026.

The meeting was co-organized by Zhongman Algeria Zerrafa Project Company and Sonatrach (Algerian National Oil Company). Li Shiguang, the President Zhongman Petroleum and Chairman of the Project Joint Management Committee, led the Chinese team to attend the meeting.

The Joint Management Committee reviewed and approved the 2026 work plan and corresponding budget for the Zerrafa II Project. Meanwhile, it adopted the optimized organizational structure and staffing plan to ensure the efficient implementation of the project and further clarified the responsibilities and collaboration mechanism of both parties for the next phase. The two sides jointly formulated and signed the resolution, which provides clear action guidelines for the subsequent planned and high-quality advancement of the project.

During the meeting, Zhongman Petroleum introduced its development history, technical strength, and integrated project execution experiences to the partner. Additionally, it systematically reviewed the important progress made in the project in 2025, including pre-exploration, technical preparation, and other related preliminary work. The participants also focused on deliberating the work outcomes submitted by the three special sub-committees.

Li Shiguang stated, "The smooth convening of this Joint Management Committee meeting is an important milestone in the progress of the Zerrafa Project. We are deeply honored to cooperate with an outstanding partner like Sonatrach. Zhongman Petroleum will fully leverage its integrated advantages to ensure the steady implementation of all 2026 work plans."

Ahmed, Chairman of the Joint Management Committee of Sonatrach, spoke highly of the meeting outcomes and the cooperative spirit demonstrated by both teams. He stated that Sonatrach would continue to support the project advancement as always and jointly achieve the strategic and economic benefits of the project.

(Text by Sun Qi / Photos by Sun Qi & Sun Hua)