Morocco is moving towards securing its natural gas supply. According to Leïla Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Morocco is studying the various offers received to choose a natural gas supplier, thus marking its first entry into the international LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) market.
During a press conference held this Friday, April 15, the Minister of Energy Transition, Leila Benali, did not reveal the volume of natural gas which Morocco is about to receive, neither the price nor even the country of import. She only said that consultations have been carried out by Morocco to secure its natural gas supply and that dozens of offers have been received and will be examined by a special committee which will lead to the signing of medium and long-term contracts. .
The objective of Morocco according to the minister is not only to obtain natural gas, but also to create an infrastructure allowing to reach a certain competitive energy in the production of electricity for the benefit of the industrial sector.
The government official declared this Friday to the press that there is a specialized commission whose mission is to negotiate and decide on offers and contracts which will be followed by the arrival of the desired quantity soon.
According to Leila Benali, Morocco’s access to the international liquefied natural gas market gives access to a wide supply of suppliers, noting that the two Tahaddart and Ain Beni Mathar thermal power plants will be supplied with gas to produce electricity.
The two plants once supplied a significant share of electricity for domestic consumption, but they have ceased to operate since last October, after Algeria decided not to renew the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline (GME) contract.
Regarding the transport of natural gas, the minister indicated that this issue has been resolved after consultations with Spain, France and Portugal to exploit their infrastructures in order to deliver Morocco, noting that the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline suspended will be used for this purpose.
Similarly, Morocco will not import natural gas from Spain or the European Union, said the government official. She contented herself with saying that Morocco now has access to the international liquefied natural gas market, and that it has several options.
In order to ensure Morocco’s sovereignty in this area, the Minister indicated that the Kingdom’s option is to ensure the transfer of liquefied natural gas on Moroccan territory, explaining that there are options such as the establishment of a floating conversion unit, whether in the port of Mohammedia or that of Nador.
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