Algerian company Sonatrach is negotiating with liquefied natural gas terminal operator 4Gas on taking a stake in its new Rotterdam terminal, the official Algerian news agency APS said on Saturday.

Dutch economic affairs minister Maria van der Hoeven, currently visiting Algiers, was quoted as saying that: “there are talks between the Sonatrach group and Dutch company 4Gas about this 12 billion cubic meter per year capacity regasification project,”
4Gas is majority owned by US private equity firm Carlyle. The new terminal is due to come on stream in 2012, says news agency Reuters.
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraaf, Van der Hoeven said that the Netherlands wanted to become a European gas hub by bringing in gas from new sources.
Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kazakstan are priority countries in Dutch efforts to secure future energy supplies, the paper said.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine had shown how vulnerable Europe is, the minister said.