Spain reopened last June Maghreb-Europe gas pipelineThat Algeria decided to close unilaterally a few months ago. But the re-commissioning of the pipe through the Strait of Gibraltar no longer serves to transport gas to Spain as it always has, instead the direction of the supply flow has been reversed to send gas from Spain to Morocco. And these shipments have been increasing rapidly in recent months.
The volumes transported to the African country when the pipeline reopened were minimal, but exports have intensified strongly in the last two months. Shipments started to increase in October (328 GWh) compared to nearly reference volumes for June (60 gigawatt hours, GWh), July (172 GWh) and September (123 GWh). It skyrocketed in November (553 GWh) and December (527 GWh).
In the six months that the natural gas pipeline runs in the opposite direction of the conventional pipeline, Spain sent a total of 1,882 GWh of gas to Morocco, and Almost 60% of the total accumulated supply has been concentrated in the last two months alone, According to the records of Enagás, the operator of the Spanish gas system and managing the main gas pipeline network, and the Petroleum Products Strategic Reserves (Cores) Authority.
In a narrow sense, Spain does not sell gas to Morocco. Spain’s role is limited.Receive vessels at regasification plants with gas that Rabat purchases from any supplying country and sends it via the Tarifa (Cádiz) gas pipeline to the country of Alaouí.
Madrid thus throwing a cape at Morocco in the midst of the energy crisis while trying to intensify and direct their good bilateral relations. The relations that the two countries plan to restart with the bilateral summit to be held in Rabat in February and which President Erdoğan will also attend. Pedro Sánchez and King Mohamed VI.
Tensions with Algeria
But the greeting to Morocco complicates the situation even more. Diplomatic conflict between Spain and Algeria After the return of the Pedro Sánchez Government in Western Sahara, he supported the Moroccan autonomy plan for the former Spanish colony. The Algerian government blocked trade relations with Spain and threatened to break gas supply contracts signed with Spanish companies if it found that some of this gas was resold to Morocco, with which it also broke diplomatic relations because of the Sahara.
Spanish Manager Algeria completely denies that gas can be diverted to Morocco and has put in place a special plan to prevent such a possibility. “With complete transparency, Morocco will be able to obtain liquefied natural gas. [el que se transporta por barco] in international markets, land it at a peninsula regasification plant and use the Maghreb gas pipeline to reach its territory. The Ministry of Ecological Transition, led by Vice President Teresa Ribera, insisted that the gas purchased by Morocco would not come from Algeria.
In the midst of the energy crisis and a spiral of price increases, Algeria decided to shut down its largest gas pipelines to Spain in October 2021. The closure of the Strait submarine tube forced Spain to rapidly increase the weight of its ship-bound gas purchases and caused a historic turn in the ranking of supplying countries. After 50 years of permanent leadership by Algeria, the USA has become the top gas seller to Spain.
Algeria closed on 31 October Maghreb-Europe gas pipelineAs a result of the diplomatic conflict between Algeria and Rabat, which was connected to Spain via Morocco, due to Western Sahara. After 25 years of operation, the tube has been shut down and there is no real possibility that it will be operational again in the short or medium term. Algeria has guaranteed the Spanish Government the supply stipulated in all contracts with Spanish energy companies (especially Naturgy, the largest buyer).
However, bilateral relations became even more murky after the turn of Pedro Sánchez’s government around Western Sahara, supporting Morocco’s plan for autonomy for the former Spanish colony to the detriment of the Sahrawi movement, as well as self-determination backed by Algeria.