Amid global energy market instability and the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, France has turned to Algeria to urgently request additional shipments of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Confronted with domestic protests over rising fuel costs and inflation, the French government is scrambling to secure its energy needs. While Algeria possesses the capacity to immediately boost its crude oil exports—as shown by the rise to 138,000 barrels per day in April 2026—the situation for LNG is more constrained. According to industry insights, Sonatrach’s existing long-term contractual obligations to other clients make a rapid increase in gas supplies to France difficult to implement at this time.