Evening star., 1959-12-20
Mediterroneon-Rhine Pipeline Seen
To Top Sohoro's Vast Oil Reserves
BY JACQUES SOUSTELLE
French Deputy Minister

ny JAS4OEO SOOS ELL6
French Deputy Minister
The Sahara is. for us French
men. 'inseparable from France,
Of which it is but an extension:
1t is. therefore. inseparable
from Europe, which is rebuild
ing, and. from Euro-Africa,
which is coming into being.
The fact that the world is
beginning to realize this indi-
Gates people are becoming con-
scious Of the Importance at
taching to the development Of
the Sahara, not alone for the
economy of our country, but
also for the European economy.
and of the part it will play in
the economic expansion Of the
West.
Only a few years ago nobody
would have even imagined that,
except perhaps a handful of
specialists.
What, then, is the Sahara?
The largest desert in the
world (eight to nine times the
area of France for the Sahara
Of the Community; one Of
the hottest and driest climates
encountered anywhere, the
most sparsely populated region
of the earth, after the Polar
circles (some $4,000 inhabit-
ants for that part. by far the
largest. belonging to the Com 4
munityO
A rudimentary economy
built on the meager agricul-
tural and pastoral resources; in
general a very low standard of
living, which often is woefully
inadequate; that, basically, was
and continues to be the tradi-
tional Sahara, on which is su-
perimpoSed, here and there, the
new Sahara, born from re-
search and toll Of French SCI
entistS and technicianS.
The New Sahara
Until a few years ago only a
few places in the desert had
revealed more or less consider
able mineral wealth; but they
fade into insignificance when
compared to the most recent
discoveries: petroleum and nat
ural gas. The geology of the
Sahara did indeed permit to
foreSee the discovery of hydro
carbons.
One must, however, under
score the astounding precision
with which research was con-
Quoted, in the face of extreme
ly difficult local labor condi-
tions. While the global average
was something like 1000 drill
ings for the discovery of a
claSS-A deposit cat least so bill
lion barrels to be obtained, it
required but % drillingS on the
average to locate definitely the
five deposits of that class in the
Sahara.
The speed with which the ex-
ploitation got under way was
no less remarkable. The first
oil discoveries were made in
1856: Edjeleh in January,
HaSsi-MeSsaoud in June. Now,
three years later, the figures
are as follows:
In the region of Edjeleh-
Zarzaitihe Tiguentourine, at
the border between Libya and
the French Sahara, eight de-
positS representing at least $50
million tons obtainable.
In the HaSsi- -Messaoud basin.
located about $50 kilometers
southeast of Algiers, a deposit
whose reserves obtainable GER
tainly exceed 500 million tons.
From various parts. promis-
ing indications, if not already
actual results, notably at Ell
Gassi, south of Hassi-Messaoud, /
which may provide a compar-
able figure.
Gas Discoveries
AS regards gas, the first dis
covery dates back to 1854. The
HasSi-R Mel deposit, only 400
kilometers from the sea, prom
iseS an exceptional yield prob
ably more than 1000 billion
cubic meters of gaS) which in
itself represents a decisive ,
economic factor, the reasons
to be set forth below.
The means for bringing the
oil out determine the speed of
production. The great Hassl-
MeSsaoud to Bougie (on the
Algerian COAST pipeline, 662
kilometers long, was just COM
pleted; its initial capacity, 8
to 9 million tons per year, will
be raised to IA million in 1861.
The line between Edjeleh and
the Gulf of Gabes in Tunisia,
construction of which has be-
gun, will likewise deliver, when