Oil production averaged 76,000 b/d falling to 72,000 b/d in 2000, but busy exploration activities are making discoveries and new exploration agreements have been signed over recent months. With sufficient further investment in exploration and development the level of production should start to show a rise. At present Tunisia has over 300 million barrels in proven oil reserves and is planning $400 million worth of new oil and gas projects over the next few years. Tunisia also boasts 2.8 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven natural gas reserves, and produced 67 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas in 1998. Construction work on a new oil pipeline linking the Sidi el Kilani oilfield and the oil terminal of Skhira is taking place in the near future, while another gas pipeline aiming to link Libya and Tunisia is due for completion by 2003. The latter will transport Libyan gas supplies to Tunisia.
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