This investigation was produced with the support of Journalismfund Europe and Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU).

In a country that ranks among the world’s leading producers and exporters of oil and gas, and where natural reserves cover more than a third of the territory, oil company profits intersect with some of the most fragile ecosystems. While laws draw boundaries for industrial activity and seek to protect what remains of natural wealth, other legislation allows licenses to be granted for extracting resources from beneath the ground.

Out of 73 areas classified as natural reserves in Algeria, established to protect migratory birds and wetlands, oil exploration and production licenses, particularly those held by the oil giant Sonatrach, overlap with 23 of them. Between corporate discourse on “sustainability” and the texts of local and international laws, this investigation raises a central question: how did oil wells reach the heart of areas meant to remain protected?

Algeria signed the Convention on Biological Diversity, the primary international legal framework for biodiversity protection worldwide, in June 1992. The convention entered into force in November 1995.

Despite this, the Ecocide project, led by the Environmental Investigative Forum (EIF) and the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) network, in cooperation with 13 media organizations including Daraj, reveals that oil and gas licenses in Algeria overlap with protected natural areas. The number of oil company licenses overlapping with protected areas in the country reached nine, covering 23 reserves, with a total overlap area of approximately 5,450 square kilometers. According to the project’s data, Algeria ranks 31st globally among countries where oil and gas licenses intersect with protected areas.

Algeria also signed the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework during the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in December 2022. This ten-year plan sets out an ambitious roadmap for a world living in harmony with nature and includes the global “30×30” target, which calls for protecting 30 percent of land and sea areas by 2030.

However, the overlap of oil and gas licenses with multiple types of protected areas, including wetlands listed under the Ramsar Convention, biosphere reserves under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, areas protected under the Barcelona Convention, permanently regulated fishing zones, and natural parks, raises serious questions about Algeria’s compliance with its international biodiversity commitments.

While the Convention on Biological Diversity does not explicitly ban oil extraction in protected areas, and does not allow reservations, it imposes restrictions through obligations related to prevention, environmental impact assessments, and habitat protection, rendering many of these licenses legally questionable.

Similarly, the Ramsar Convention, which Algeria signed and which entered into force in March 1984, mandates the “wise use” of wetlands, meaning the preservation of their ecological functions, characteristics, and biodiversity through sustainable management. This directly conflicts with granting licenses for oil exploration and extraction within these areas. The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (the Barcelona Convention), which Algeria signed in February 1981 and which entered into force in 2004, also obliges member states to take all appropriate measures to prevent, reduce, and combat pollution in the Mediterranean Sea.

UNESCO launched the Man and the Biosphere Programme in 1971, and eight natural reserves in Algeria have been listed under it. Project data show two onshore exploration licenses and one offshore exploration license within three sites classified under the programme, which aims to promote sustainable development by balancing nature conservation with human use.

Oil Companies: Green Rhetoric, Dark Realities

The Algerian national hydrocarbon company Sonatrach, often described as an “energy giant” and a “state within a state,” was founded in 1961. It is Africa’s largest state-owned oil company and is responsible for exploration, production, and distribution of hydrocarbons in Algeria.

Before 2005, Sonatrach combined two conflicting roles: it operated as a commercial company seeking profits from oil and gas exploration and production, while also holding regulatory powers over the hydrocarbons sector, including negotiating licenses and contracts with foreign oil companies. This dual role created a clear risk of conflicts of interest, as the company effectively regulated itself.

With the adoption of a new hydrocarbons law in 2005, Sonatrach’s monopolistic role ended, and regulatory authority was transferred to two independent bodies: the National Agency for the Valorization of Hydrocarbon Resources (ALNAFT) and the Hydrocarbons Regulatory Authority (ARH).

Despite losing its regulatory powers, investigation data show that Sonatrach remains the dominant actor in Algeria’s hydrocarbons sector, with the majority of exploration and production activities still concentrated in the hands of the national company. The investigation also reveals that Sonatrach and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) operate within areas classified as natural reserves in Algeria.

Sonatrach holds the highest number of licenses, with 22 exploration licenses across eight blocks overlapping with protected areas. The company’s licenses intersect with more than 5,300 square kilometers across 21 protected areas, including Djebel Krouz National Park, Taza, and the Iriqui Reserve.

The China National Petroleum Corporation operates under two onshore oil extraction licenses in blocks located at Chott Ain El Beida and Chott Oum El Raneb, both designated as Ramsar sites in 2004. CNPC’s licenses overlap with approximately 72 square kilometers of protected areas.

At the same time, data from both companies reveal a contradiction between their environmental commitments and their commercial activities. Sonatrach’s 2023 annual report states that the company is committed to maintaining the highest standards of health, safety, and environmental protection, and that it has implemented a comprehensive HSE policy focused on continuous risk assessment and mitigation. On November 7, 2025, Daraj contacted Sonatrach to ask about the discrepancy between its public HSE commitments and the findings of the investigation, but received no response by the time of publication.

According to CNPC’s 2024 report, the company “actively participates in biodiversity conservation and has fully integrated this commitment into its operational processes.” The report also states that CNPC adheres to principles of “people-centered development, quality first, safety above all, and prioritizing the environment,” and continues to improve its health, safety, and environmental management systems. On November 13, 2025, Daraj contacted CNPC regarding the contradiction between its declared environmental commitments and the overlap of its licenses with protected areas, but received no response by the time of publication.

Most Affected Protected Areas: Sonatrach at the Forefront

According to project data, Sonatrach holds the largest oil and gas license in terms of geographic coverage. This license, listed as “Negrine II,” overlaps with two Ramsar-protected areas: Chott Merouane and Oued Kherouf, as well as the protected Chott Melghigh, covering an area of more than 3,600 square kilometers.

1. Chott Merouane and Oued Kherouf Site

It is a Key Biodiversity Area of international importance and was designated as a Ramsar site in 2001. According to Ramsar, these permanent saline wetlands cover an area of 337,700 hectares and provide habitat for more than 28,000 birds, including 14,000 greater flamingos.

The site has also recorded the presence of several species of wintering ducks, including the Northern Shoveler and the Eurasian Teal. It is also home to some of the oldest wintering bird species, such as the Red-crested Pochard, in addition to the African Houbara Bustard, which is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Chott Merouane is considered one of the lowest points in North Africa, lying approximately 40 meters below sea level. It is characterized by extremely high salinity and is one of the largest salt extraction areas in the Middle East and North Africa. This creates an ideal environment for birds that inhabit saline waters or use salt flats as gathering sites, feeding on food sources with high salt content and often drinking saline water.

2. Chott Melghigh Protected Area – Chott Melhrir

Chott Melghigh Protected Area is located at one of the lowest points in the desert, approximately 35 meters below sea level. It includes several seasonal salt lakes alongside freshwater pools. The salt flats are surrounded by an area covered with distinctive vegetation and threatened plant species, some of which are endemic to Algeria, such as chouika and zoueitina. The site is used as grazing land for livestock and is also home to wildlife including wild boars and foxes.

A Second License for Sonatrach

Ranking second in terms of overlap area is a license held by Sonatrach under the name Mascara, covering an area of 1,138 square kilometers. This license overlaps with several sites, including the Arzew Salt Mines, the Greater Oran Sebkha, Lake Telamine, the Macta Wetlands, and the Cap Rachgoun Natural Reserve.

Arzew Salt Mines – Salines d’Arzew

This is a wetland area comprising marshes and saline and semi-saline lakes, characterized by halophytic vegetation. It is considered an important gathering site for migratory birds, such as the Common Shelduck, the Red-crested Pochard, the Greater Flamingo, and the Greylag Goose.

Sonatrach obtained onshore and offshore licenses for oil and gas exploration at the site, which has been designated as a Ramsar site since 2004. However, according to the Ramsar Convention website, in its most recent update published in 2019, “with the exception of human settlements, agricultural activities, and livestock grazing, no specific threats to the site have been identified.”

The Greater Oran Sebkha – Grande Sebkha d’Oran

The Greater Oran Sebkha was designated as a Ramsar site in 2001. It consists of flats and a saline lake and hosts several species of migratory birds, including the Greater Flamingo and the Common Shelduck. The surrounding areas are used for agriculture, livestock grazing, and salt extraction.

Lake Télamine – Lac de Télamine

This site was designated as a Ramsar site in 2004. However, Sonatrach obtained onshore and offshore licenses for oil and gas exploration there. These wetlands serve as a stopover for migratory birds such as wild ducks and shelducks, while the Greater Flamingo winters in the area. According to Ramsar, agriculture and livestock grazing are among the main uses of the site.

Macta Wetlands – Marais de la Macta

The site was designated as a Ramsar site in 2001 and is characterized by rich biodiversity. It hosts halophytic vegetation alongside rare plant species such as sea mustard and sea grape. The wetlands are also home to waterbirds, including the Marbled Duck and the Ruddy Shelduck

Cap Lindles Natural Reserve – Réserve Naturelle de Cap Lindles

In 2019, the Cap Lindles Natural Reserve was classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a leading global environmental organization, under Category V of the seven protected area categories. Despite this classification, Sonatrach obtained onshore and offshore licenses for oil and gas exploration within the reserve.

Licenses Under Legal Scrutiny: What About Protected Areas?

In 2019, Law No. 19-13 regulating hydrocarbon activities was issued, establishing a comprehensive legal framework governing all oil and gas sector activities in Algeria. The law stipulates that hydrocarbon-related activities must comply with fundamental obligations, including ensuring public health and safety, environmental protection, and the rational use of natural resources and energy. It also requires that applications for licenses to operate oil and gas development projects be subject to environmental impact assessment studies, which must receive approval from the competent authority prior to license issuance.

The law maintains that licenses issued before its entry into force remain subject to the provisions of previous legislation, namely Law No. 86-14 of 1986 and Law No. 05-07 of 2005, but does not allow for their extension or renewal.

Under the “polluter pays” principle, Law No. 03-10 obliges any party whose activities cause environmental damage to bear the costs of pollution prevention, mitigation, and the rehabilitation of affected areas.

With regard to protected areas, Law No. 11-02 on protected areas within the framework of sustainable development, issued in 2011, prohibits any exploitative or commercial activities within these areas unless otherwise authorized by a ministerial decree.

According to documents published in Algeria’s Official Gazette (JORADP), there are no texts explicitly indicating that Sonatrach or the China National Petroleum Corporation obtained licenses for oil exploration or extraction within sites classified as protected areas. The Official Gazette does, however, show that Sonatrach, sometimes in partnership with other companies such as the China National Petroleum Corporation, obtained exploration licenses in other areas.

Given that the law requires a specific authorization for any activity conducted within protected areas, and that no publicly available data or published legal texts explicitly indicate the granting of such authorizations, this raises questions about the possible existence of undisclosed licenses or exemptions, or about a gap between legal texts and their implementation, particularly in the absence of any response from the two companies, especially the national company Sonatrach.

This investigation is part of the “Fueling Ecocide” project, produced in collaboration with 13 international journalistic platforms and coordinated by the Environmental Investigative Forum (EIF) and the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) network.Participating media outlets: Mediapart (France), Reporters United (Greece), Domani (Italy), Daraj (Lebanon), InfoAmazonia (Brazil), InfoCongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Der Standard (Austria), The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ, United Kingdom), El Espectador (Colombia), 24.hu (Hungary), Le Soir (Belgium), Expresso (Portugal), and InfoLibre (Spain).This investigation was supported by Journalismfund Europe and Investigative Journalism for Europe (IJ4EU).Data and geospatial analysis: Leopold Salzenstein (EIF), Daphne Caruana (Reporters United), Alexander Brutel (EIF), and Yann Philippin (Mediapart).Graphic design and illustrations: Simon Toupet (Mediapart).The visualizations and graphic designs were created by Simon Toupet (Mediapart).