Rama: Oil discovered in Albania has the quality of Saudi oil

Speaking at a media conference on August 23rd, Rama said that drilling has reached 6,000 metres deep in the earth after a 10-year job in the area of Shperg, about five kilometers from Albania's central city of Berat.

“reserva is there, at 6002 meters to the bottom of the earth. Reserves have been affected after a very difficult exploration and a massive investment made due to the repeated break-up of probes, as a result of the geological formation”, Rama said.

The prime minister stressed that he has not yet encountered in the water, which means that, according to him, the amount of oil will be large.

“According to tests conducted in the Netherlands by the SHELL company, it is oil of the same quality of Saudi Arabia's premim;”, he stressed.

Oil research in the cave area in Berat is under way by the SHELL company. They are expected to open over 15 wells. The Albanian prime minister said that, in parallel, oil research will be done in the Dumre area of Divjaka.

Prime Minister Rama predicted that this discovery would bring a “great economic and financial benefits”, and that overall investment in oil reserves would amount to seven billion euros.

This wealth will have an impact on pensions, education, health, the welfare of our children”, Rama underlined.

He made it known that by the end of October and at the end of December, there will be a public result by the SHELL itself company regarding the creation of oil extraction infrastructure. The moment the production starts, there will be over 5,000 employees, according to him.

Although rich in oil reserves, Albania does not have its processing industries. The oil extracted is processed outside Albania and then imported and distributed to the domestic market, at a price that turns to be the most expensive in the region.

Currently, a liter of oil costs 190, or 1.90 euros.