Algeria Boosts Gas Pipeline Capacity to Spain, Excluding Morocco

Since the non-renewal of the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline (GME), Algeria has reassured Spain that it will continue to honor its commitments in terms of gas supply via the Medgaz, a gas pipeline managed by the Spanish company Naturgy and the Algerian company Sonatrach. With a capacity of 8 billion cubic meters per year, this gas pipeline will not be able to cover Spain’s high demand for gas. This is why Algeria and Spain have agreed to increase its capacity to 10.7 billion cubic meters per year.

The work to strengthen the capacity of the Medgaz will be completed "by the end of the year," promises Naturgy, however specifying that the gas that will be transported via this gas pipeline will be "exclusively" destined for the Spanish market. In other words, Spain is not authorized to allow this Algerian gas to benefit Morocco.

The closure of the GME crossing Morocco follows the rupture in August by Algeria of its diplomatic relations with the kingdom, thus compromising the regular supply of the latter with gas. For its part, Morocco is studying the possibility of importing gas from Spain via the same gas pipeline, but for the moment, it sees its plans thwarted by Algeria.

The tension between the two countries has risen a notch last week where Algeria accused Morocco of having killed three of its nationals during an armed attack against the Polisario militias in the Sahara.