RABAT, April 15 (Reuters) – Morocco is studying options at several ports to build a floating or land-based facility to import liquefied natural gas (LNG), Energy Minister Leila Benali said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Morocco relied for much of its gas needs – about 1 billion cubic metres (bcm) annually \u2013 on a pipeline that used to channel Algerian gas to Spain, until it was halted last October by Algiers, against the backdrop of worsening relations between the Maghreb’s most populous countries.<\/p>\n
Whether floating or onshore, studies are underway to choose the “most immediate solution”, Benali told reporters.<\/p>\n
The country tendered in January for a study on the upgrade of Mohammedia port near Casablanca to host an LNG floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU).<\/p>\n
Mohammedia and the Mediterranean port of Nador appear to be best equipped to host regasification terminals, she said.<\/p>\n
“But we can prepare four ports at least,” she said, citing Kenitra and Jorf Lasfar ports.<\/p>\n
“It is important for Morocco’s energy sovereignty to have regasification capacity on our territory and in our maritime space,” she said.<\/p>\n
Morocco will enter the international LNG market “in the upcoming days,” making use of unused capacity at Spanish terminals, she said, without giving further details.<\/p>\n
Though she said: “We are not importing Spanish or European LNG.”<\/p>\n
“Transit issues have been settled,” she said.<\/p>\n
In addition to Spain, Morocco discussed in November with Portugal and France about tapping into the under-used regasification capacity.<\/p>\n
“They have regasification terminals that are under-used, and we have a pipeline that has to be used,” Benali said.<\/p>\n
The pipeline is key to feeding two small power plants that supply Morocco’s northwest and northeast, which currently rely on the national grid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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