From the outset, Leila Benali, minister for Energy transition and sustainable development, sets the record straight: contrary to what is said here and there, Morocco will not buy liquefied natural gas from the Spanish market or European market. For the first time in its history, it is entering the international market to source this product. Since last November, just after Algeria decided to unilaterally close the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline, Rabat has launched negotiations with countries and international suppliers of liquefied natural gas.
It is in this sense that an ad hoc commission was set up, and calls for tenders were launched for the supply of the country with natural gas. The minister refrained from saying more during her last public statement. Leila Benali merely said that the details of the transactions relating to the import of this product will be announced in the coming days. In this operation, Morocco received several answers that reveal the enthusiasm of international operators for the Moroccan liquefied natural gas market.
However, to solve the problem of transport, it is necessary to separate the major project of the infrastructures from the project relating to the molecule, which is precisely in progress. This part is punctuated by episodes, the first of which relates to the transit of gas. Morocco has reached an agreement with Madrid, Lisbon, and Paris for the exploitation of their infrastructure through their underused regasification plants.
These countries will allow the transport of gas intended for Morocco to the Maghreb-Europe pipeline. The other episode involves energy sovereignty. “It is very important to have regasification on Moroccan territory or maritime space. This processing must be done on the national territory”, said Leila Benali insistently. As far as the other issues are concerned, it will be necessary to let the industrialists seek the most immediate and fast solution, without mortgaging the future, she says.
The government is working on solutions to guarantee this regasification operation. In addition, as part of the desire to constitute the security stock for the needs of the national market in terms of petroleum products, the ministry encourages private operators to achieve an additional global reserve capacity of up to 890,000 cubic meters by 2023. These investments that are intended to increase storage capacities do amount to 5 billion Moroccan Dirhams (MAD) by 2023. Of this total, 3 billion MAD are directed towards the storage of liquid petroleum products and butane gas. Added to this are 2 billion MAD for liquid petroleum products. We can then reach the security stock of 60 days as stipulated in the law.
The butane gas subsidy will be maintained
In order to alleviate the repercussions of the economic situation on citizens’ purchasing power, the Government has maintained its butane gas subsidy. Indeed, the credits allocated to the Compensation Fund for this product have increased by 27.6% compared to 2021. Currently, the 12-kilo butane gas cylinder is subsidized for 116 MAD. Its real price is 156 MAD while it is sold at 40 MAD.
Mohamed CHAOUI
