ALGIERS, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Algeria on Sunday issued a decree to establish an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the Algerian coast, APS news agency reported.

The source specified that the EEZ is a space on which a country has sovereignty and exercise special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources.

The outer limits of the Algerian EEZ, calculated from the baselines defined by the decree of August 1984, are specified by the coordinates expressed in the World Geodetic System (WGS 84), noted APS while quoting the decree as saying.

It stretches from the baseline out to 200 nautical miles (about 370 km) from its coast.

However, the external limits of the EEZ may, where appropriate, be modified in the context of bilateral agreements with states whose coasts are adjacent to or facing the Algerian coasts.

Observers believe that the aforementioned presidential decree may pave the way for the beginning of offshore drilling projects off Algeria.

Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour, CEO of the state energy giant Sonatrach, said late last month that his firm is working on studying and examining the seismic nature of the coasts of some regions ahead of starting offshore drilling.

He further noted that Sonatrach's partners, such as Anadarko, Total, Eni and Statoil are interested in joining the offshore drilling activity in Algeria.