Algerian state-owned energy company Sonatrach will start production from six separate gas fields in the next three years.

The total capacity of the fields will be over 2.6 billion standard cubic feet a day (scf/d) and will mark a turning point for Sonatrach’s gas production which has stalled in recent years due to terrorist attacks, lack of foreign investment and a major corruption scandal.

The largest field is the Tinhert field which will start operations in 2017 and will have a capacity of 848 million scf/d. Hassi Bahamou and Hassi Mena will also start operations in 2017 with a combined capacity of 741.4 million scf/d.

The Reggane field, a joint venture with Spain’s Repsol, Germany’s RWE-DEA and Italy’s Edison will have a capacity of 423.7 million scf/d and also begin operations in 2017.

Sonatrach and France’s GDF will ramp up operations at the Touat field over the next three years and the capacity will be about 425 million scf/d when fully operational.

The last field to start production will be the Timimoun project Sonatrach is developing with France’s Total and will have a capacity of 176.5 million scf/d when it starts operations in 2018.