[2][3] Zarzaitine is a border town between Algeria and Libya, located just to the northeast of In Aménas.

The Trapsa Oil Pipeline connects it to Edjeleh, which is located about 30 miles (48 km) to the south.

Geologically this area is known as the Zarzaitine Formation, consisting mainly of red-brown sandstone,[5] and dinosaur bones dated to the Triassic have been unearthed here.

[4] In 1961, Zarzaitine was considered to be the largest oil field of the eastern Sahara, with primary reserves of 80 million tons.

[8] It is estimated that Algeria produces two million tons of crude from this oil field annually.