Spain reopened the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline a year ago after Algeria had shut it down unilaterally a few months earlier. The reactivation of the line through the Strait of Gibraltar on June 28, 2022 marked a milestone, not because gas started flowing in a new direction, but because the system shifted to move gas from Spain toward Morocco rather than the traditional flow from north to south.
Gas shipments to Morocco began modestly but have expanded steadily, especially as North Africa approaches the upper end of its pipeline capacity. The year has seen a diplomatic rift between Spain and Algeria, with Madrid maintaining a Western Sahara stance that aligns with Morocco while Algeria pushes back against the policy shift. In Spain the government has been careful to navigate this friction while keeping energy ties with Morocco firm.
At the outset of the reopening the volumes sent to Morocco were small, yet recent months have shown a marked acceleration. From June through February the reported figures rose from seasonal baselines to hundreds of gigawatt hours per month, as tracked by the operators and system managers responsible for Spain’s gas network. The scale of these movements underscores a broader reallocation of gas corridors in the region, with Morocco increasingly served by supplies routed through Tarifa in southern Spain.
In the last four months the export activity to Morocco climbed above early data, driven by sustained demand and the capacity of the Tarifa line. The monthly maximum capacity of the pipeline sits around 960 GWh, and recent months have used well over 85 percent of that potential, with several months approaching or nudging the 90 percent mark.
Over the past year, Spanish gas re-exports to Morocco have surpassed several thousand GWh, positioning Morocco as a major, though not the largest, recipient of gas routed from Spanish facilities. The corridor through Tarifa has become a key route in the evolving regional gas market, reflecting shifts in supplier dynamics and strategic energy planning across the Iberian peninsula and North Africa.
Spain to Morocco: A practical energy conduit
On a practical level, Spain acts as a conduit rather than a direct seller in this bilateral arrangement. Gas purchased by Morocco is received by Spain at regasification terminals and then delivered onward via the Tarifa pipeline to Rabat. The arrangement illustrates how Spain has positioned itself as an energy facilitator amid a broader European energy crisis, while maintaining cordial bilateral ties with Morocco as both countries seek resilience through diversification. Diplomatic tensions with Algeria persist as Spain refrains from aligning fully with unilateral positions on Western Sahara.
Algeria has curtailed broader commercial ties with Spain in response to the shift, affecting multiple sectors. Nonetheless, gas sales to Spanish customers have continued, with Algeria asserting that allocations must not be diverted to other markets. Officials in Madrid insist that gas flows to Morocco are part of commercial contracts and logistics managed by national and European operators, and that nothing is being diverted outside legal frameworks.
In parallel, Algeria has warned that it may revisit contract terms if it detects resale of gas to Morocco, complicating an already tense diplomatic landscape. Madrid and Algiers have introduced measures to minimize the risk of misrouting while maintaining essential energy exchanges through the corridor.
Diplomatic dynamics in the Maghreb
The European Union has yet to leverage trade instruments that could apply pressure on Algeria to ease a unilateral blockade of Spanish companies. Spain continues to emphasize dialogue and negotiation as the preferred path to resolving the disagreement, recognizing the strategic need to diversify energy sources amid a volatile global market. The current geopolitical setup—shaped by the Ukraine conflict and broader shifts in energy supply—places management of this relationship at the heart of regional stability.
Spain has repeatedly stated that it remains committed to fulfilling its supply commitments to Spanish and allied markets while navigating diplomatic tensions. The gas trade remains a key lever in the broader effort to maintain steady energy delivery across the region.
Historically, Algeria has been a major supplier to Spain, though recent events have seen the landscape shift with the United States gaining ground in the broader market. The price negotiations for 2022 and 2023 have been underway as operators seek to align terms with evolving market conditions and strategic expectations.
In June, a strategic alliance was announced between a leading Spanish energy group and Algeria’s state company to explore joint hydrocarbon development in northern regions. This collaboration involves significant investments and reflects ongoing cooperation that complements the gas trade with promising long-term potential.
Looking forward after pivotal events
One of the central foreign policy tasks for the next Spanish administration is balancing relations with Morocco and Algeria, two neighboring powers with different visions for influence in Africa and on the Western Sahara issue. The region is marked by a low-intensity conflict linked to long-standing tensions around the refugee camps in Algeria and the broader dispute.
As the year progresses, capitals in the region await clearer outcomes from political developments. Algeria has signaled it may adjust its engagement, while Morocco continues to pursue its own roadmap for regional integration. Domestic political frames in Spain will shape how aggressively the next government moves on these issues, with debates focusing on the balance between diplomacy and strategic energy considerations.
In public discussions, leaders have suggested recalibrating foreign policy toward a more stable, neighborly posture that supports both Morocco and Algeria within a framework of constructive dialogue. This approach aims to preserve energy security while avoiding open confrontation, reflecting the realities of a tightly interconnected energy market and a shifting geopolitical landscape.