Algeria’s Methyl Tert-Butyl Ether (MTBE) production plant is undergoing its phased gradual commissioning and entry into production, which began in June 2026.
Built across a 114,000-square-meter site inside the Arzew industrial zone in Oran, the project is designed to produce 200,000 tonnes of MTBE per year, converting roughly 75% of locally produced methanol from the Arzew complex into MTBE. MTBE is a critical additive for manufacturing unleaded gasoline.
The facility represents a major pillar in Algeria’s broader strategy to maximize downstream petrochemical sovereignty and reduce foreign currency expenditure.
By shifting from an importer to a producer, the facility will eliminate Algeria’s need to import MTBE (which previously cost the country roughly $170Million annually) and allow for surplus exports.
In the oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors, “commissioning” is a multi-month phase where systems, pipelines, and control rooms are tested with actual feedstock. A formal inauguration ceremony typically takes place after the plant successfully finishes these test runs and achieves stable, continuous commercial production.
The most recent high-level state event at the site occurred when Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb officially inspected the MTBE unit’s progress and toured its central control room. During that same visit, he launched the neighboring Continuous Catalytic Reforming (CCR) naphtha unit.
