The GDF-Suez and Sonatrach joint venture Groupement TouatGaz, which is developing the Touat gas field in south-west Algeria, is expected to choose Spanish engineering company Técnicas Reunidas to carry out the project. Once confirmed, this will mark a significant milestone in the much-delayed process of bringing a series of complex gas discoveries in this region to production. Total, Repsol and Statoil also plan to develop gas fields in this area, but negotiations on commerciality have dragged on for years, while Sonatrach has only recently committed to build the necessary pipeline.