Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has inaugurated BG plc's Miskar gas field, one of the company's largest overseas projects.

The ceremony took place at BG plc's Hannibal gas plant near Sfax, which processes gas and liquids from the Miskar field, 125 kilometres offshore in the Gulf of Gabes. The field entered full production in June 1996.

Following the ceremony BG plc Chief Executive David Varney said: "This event is a milestone both for the Tunisian nation and BG plc. The Miskar development is now delivering 80 per cent of Tunisia's natural gas."

The Hannibal gas processing plant removes carbon dioxide, nitrogen and hydrogen sulphide from gas produced at the Miskar field.

The President visited the control room, which regulates offshore production from the Miskar field and controls gas deliveries from the Hannibal plant to Societe Tunisienne de l'Electricite et du Gaz (STEG).

The UK Government was represented by Lord Fraser, Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry, and the UK Ambassador to Tunisia, Richard Edis.

BG plc is the operator of and has a 100 per cent interest in the Miskar gas field, the largest single gas development in Tunisia. The company has a sales contract with STEG to purchase up to 4.5 million cubic metres per day (160 million cubic feet per day) of gas for the first five years of production and up to 5.7 million cubic metres (200 million cubic feet) per day thereafter.