Morocco’s Gas Imports Surge 1,200% Through Reversed Pipeline, Defying Algerian Closure

After Algeria’s unilateral closure of the Maghreb-Europe pipeline transiting through Morocco at the end of 2021, the latter sought an alternative to continue to supply itself with gas. Nearly a year later, the kingdom has agreed with Spain to import gas via this pipeline in the reverse direction. Under the agreement, Morocco buys liquefied natural gas (LNG) on the international market, has it transformed by the regasification plants in Spain before conveying it to its territory via the GME.

According to data provided by Enagás, Rabat imported 60 gigawatt-hours of gas in June 2022, at the beginning of the agreement with Madrid. Over the months, this quantity has increased exponentially to reach 820 gigawatt-hours in March 2023, reports The Objective. According to experts, the Iberian mechanism that has made the price of gas in Spain much more competitive has contributed to this increase recorded in recent months.

Enagás has a system to measure each molecule of gas transported. Thus, it is able to prove that the hydrocarbon sent to Morocco does not come from Algerian deposits. In April 2022, Algeria had threatened to break its gas contract with Spain if a single molecule of its gas was sold to Morocco. Spain assured it that the gas conveyed to the kingdom comes in particular from the United States.