In the midst of the crisis with Algeria, Spain makes the most gas shipments to Morocco

This Gas shipments to Morocco intensify More than 85% of the maximum injection capacity for North Africa has been used gradually this year and in recent months. All this amid the diplomatic conflict between Spain – traditionally the main gas supplier to the Spanish market – and Algeria, as the Pedro Sánchez Government returns to its traditional Spanish position in Western Sahara and continues to support Morocco’s autonomy. A plan that Algeria flatly rejected.

In the early stages of the gas pipeline reopening, the volumes transported to the African country were minimal, but exports have skyrocketed in recent months. Compared to last year’s nearly reference volumes in June (60 gigawatt hours, GWh), July (172 GWh) and September (123 GWh), shipments are already in October (328 GWh), November (553 GWh), December (January (536 GWh) and 527 GWh in February (680 GWh), Strategic Reserves Corporation (Cores) And enagas, Manager of the Spanish electricity system and operator of the large network of gas pipelines.

However, it is in the last four months that the volume of gas exported to Morocco has risen rapidly, reaching levels well above the initial data in March (820 GWh), April (834 GWh), May (868 GWh) and June. (840 GWh). The maximum export capacity of the gas pipeline from Tarifa is 960 GWh per month, i.e. More than 85% of this maximum potential has been used in recent months and even exceeded 90% in May..

Over the past year, gas re-exports from Spain to Morocco have cumulatively exceeded 6,460 GWh, making the Alaouite kingdom the fourth-largest destination for gas shipments from Spanish plants, after only France, Italy and Portugal.

Goodness from Spain to Morocco

In a narrow sense, Spain does not sell gas to Morocco. Spain’s role is limited to receiving gas from Rabat’s purchases from any supplier country at its regasification plants and sending it to the Alaouite country via the Tarifa (Cádiz) gas pipeline. Madrid is throwing such a cape at Morocco in the midst of the energy crisis.While both countries are trying to intensify and steer their bilateral relations. The salute to Morocco, however, served to further tighten the market. Diplomatic conflict between Spain and AlgeriaAfter the change of position of the Pedro Sánchez Government in Western Sahara, he supported his arguments about the former Spanish colony of Morocco.

The Algerian government, which blocked commercial relations with Spain, dealt a blow to companies that exported to the Algerian market and excluded only gas sales from boycott.

However, Algeria has threatened to break gas supply contracts signed with Spanish companies if it finds that some of the gas has been resold to Morocco, with which it also cut off 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.

The Maghreb’s diplomatic bee nest

The European Union has yet to implement either of the two articles of the trade agreement that would allow Algeria to be pressured to lift the unilateral blockade of Spanish companies. Spain also prioritizes solution through negotiations before legal, sources from Spanish diplomacy confirm to this newspaper. Particularly in a geopolitical context that forces it to diversify resources after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is not in the best interest to engage in a legal battle with one of the EU’s main gas suppliers.

HE Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, Algeria has repeatedly stressed that it continues to fulfill its supply commitments to Spanish companies despite diplomatic and trade conflicts. Pumping the gas prevents diplomatic conflict.

Algeria has been Spain’s main supplier of gas for more than half a century, but has been replaced by the United States as the top seller since last year. Slightly more than half of the gas coming by cylinder from Medgaz, the only natural gas pipeline from Algeria currently in operation, is from Turkey. improvisation. The Spanish company is now renegotiating the gas sale price for this year and next year with Algerian state giant Sonatrach, after agreeing to raise rates retroactively for the entirety of 2022 last October.

On June 15, Repsol in Algeria signed a contract with Algerian public company Sonatrach to share hydrocarbon production in the Menzel Lejmat region in the north of the country. The Spanish company, Indonesian Pertamina and Sonatrach itself will invest $800m (€727m) in the business.

Challenge for after 23J

One of the main foreign policy challenges for the next Spanish government to emerge from 23J is to find a balance between Morocco and Algeria, two regional powers opposing over influence on the African continent and the Western Sahara issue. A conflict involving armed attacks by the Polisario Front from refugee camps in Algeria. A kind of low-intensity war has been going on since the ceasefire broke down in 2020.

All the capitals concerned are waiting for the results of the 23 July elections to make their next move. Algeria has telegraphed that it will not meet with the current government. Morocco awaits the next Administrator to move forward on its roadmap. The People’s Party advocates “re-establishing a foreign policy that harmonizes a deep and solid neighborly relationship with Morocco and Algeria” in its program.

In this Monday’s election debate, Alberto Núñez Feijóo did not specify whether he would reverse Pedro Sánchez’s decision to support Morocco’s plan for autonomy for the Sahara if it reaches the Government. What the popular candidate said was that he would return to the previous state of foreign policy towards the region before Sánchez came to the Executive, which could be interpreted as a reversal of the socialist turn. Although the PSOE offers to delve deeper into the new relationship with Morocco, it does not even mention Algeria in its entire program.