Algeria's state oil company Sonatrach has signed an important extension to a production sharing contract with two European majors and a US independent that could see fresh gas exports to Europe

Sonatrach, Occidental, TotalEnergies and Eni have been in negotiations since last year to extend the PSC for blocks 404a and 208 in the Berkine basin.

The news came as Algeria officially became Italy's largest gas supplier and after Sonatrach announced it would supply 4 billion cubic metres of gas per annum to Italy, as part of the agreement signed with Eni in April.