MEED reported that Algeria, Niger and Nigeria will tender a contract to design the estimated USD 13 billion trans Saharan gas pipeline before the end of 2009.

A source at one engineering firm involved in the feasibility study for the project said that "We don't know what is happening in terms of investment decisions and we are waiting to hear when the front-end engineering and design deal will be issued. We expect they will come out with something by the end of this year."

The long awaited project involves gas being produced in Nigeria and transported to an export terminal in northeast Algeria through Niger.

The 3 countries signed an agreement on July 3rd to develop the scheme jointly, although they have yet to make a final investment decision.

The UK's Royal Dutch Shell and Russia's Gazprom are willing to invest in the scheme.

(Sourced from MEED)