Vietnam and Algeria have agreed to boost cooperation in energy through a partnership agreement between the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) and the Algerian state energy group, Sonatrach.

Under the agreement, PetroVietnam and Sonatrach will together with Thailand ’s PTTEP Algeria Co. Ltd. set up the Bir Seba group to exploit petroleum in the Sahara desert, southern Algeria .

Firstly, Bir Seba headquarters will be allocated in Algiers capital city and then will be moved to Touggourt in Sahara .

The group plans to start its exploitation by the end of 2011 or early 2012./.