ALGERIAN NATURAL GAS

• Algeria has the second largest natural gas reserves in Africa with more than half of it located in the Hassi R’Mel gas facility.

IN AMENAS HOSTAGE CRISIS• Date: January 16-19, 2013• Location: In Amenas Natural Gas Facility

Militants from Al-Mulathameen or the Masked

Brigade stormed the In Amenas gas facility and the nearby living quarters with

the intent of capturing foreign hostages.

GAS GOES BOOM

Reports have indicated that the site plans were studied meticulously by the militants before the attack with the

intent of destroying the facility. There were no armed guards present in the gas site as Algerian law prohibits the presence of foreign security

personnel.

The weapons cache left by the Qaddafi regime in

Libya has been problematic to the

security in the Sahel.

EUROPE’S DESERT DILEMMA

Despite growing security concerns in Algeria,

Europe has a high tolerance for high risk areas in the energy

business.

Energy exports comprise the majority of Algeria’s total revenue; therefore economic protection goes hand in hand with national

security especially in a neighborhood festering with transnational terrorism.