In front of the deputies, Leila Benali declined the roadmap for natural gas. Morocco has significant needs for natural gas in the short term. The current needs of the industrial sector in the Kenitra region are in a critical situation due to the depletion of gas reserves from wells operated by the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Minerals and the SDX company.
Added to this are more than 2 gigawatts of new gas-fired thermal capacity programmed according to the ONEE equipment plan for 2027. Likewise, the industrial development of a set of activities as a preliminary step to the use of hydrogen.
Among the strategic objectives, it is worth mentioning the strengthening of national energy independence and the contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions from the national electricity system, by resorting to the use of natural gas as a transition energy. And this by putting an end to the use of fuel oil and reducing the use of coal. The idea is also to promote the growth of a carbon-free national industry, while having flexible basic infrastructure that can be used in the long term for the transport of green hydrogen and other low environmental impact products.
Coordinated risk management
Based on the constraints and priorities of the State, it is important to accelerate the implementation of the first stage, focused on studies and achievements. The feasibility of financing the project, with better coordinated risk management. Added to this is the reduction in the financial contribution of the State, with the definition of the role of the national and international private sector within the framework of the PPP (Public-Private Partnership).
Still on the roadmap, the transport of local production is of capital importance. Thus, the program provides for the construction of pipelines to connect the production projects of the Tendrara gas field and that of Anchois to the Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline (GME). And this in the short term, over the period between 2024 and 2026. So it will be necessary to develop several entry points for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Thus, the first unit concerns the construction of a liquefied natural gas station in the port of Nador West Med and a gas pipeline over a length of 132 km to connect this station to the GME. The second unit focuses on the gas project intended for energy and industry through the development of the pipeline connecting Mohammedia to the GME network and the Nador West Med gas pipeline. This will make it possible to supply natural gas to Mohammedia’s power plants, as well as neighboring industrial facilities. Unit 3 aims to develop a liquefied natural gas terminal in a port on the Atlantic coast, which is currently under study.
In the medium term, by 2030, the idea is to create other entry points for LNG imports, with the delivery of the Atlantic LNG terminal project. As for unit 4, it consists of the development of the liquefied natural gas terminal in the Atlantic port of Dakhla. Unit 5 aims to develop a network of gas transport pipelines in the south, the objective of which is to support changes in demand and the connection of gas stations in the future. In the long term, the roadmap targets regional integration. This will involve connecting the national network to gas pipelines in states such as Mauritania and Senegal. And this, via the future Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline.
Simplification and digitalization of procedures
Before the deputies, the minister addressed the challenges and constraints of the hydrocarbon sector. Thus, it is a question of developing the storage capacities of petroleum products to bring them at least to the legal level set at 60 days. In addition to supporting the policy of liberalizing the prices of liquid petroleum products, Leila Benali insisted on the need to develop a system of governance and control of the fuel sector. For this, it is imperative to improve the legislative and regulatory framework to support the ongoing transformations in the oil sector at the national and international level. And this without forgetting the simplification and digitalization of procedures for granting administrative licenses.
Creation of 590 service stations
The aspect of encouraging investment and supporting individuals in their investment projects was not left out. Thus, the conditions linked to the granting of approval to private operators for the distribution of liquid petroleum products have been facilitated. This made it possible to grant accreditation to 16 new companies to carry out the distribution activity of these products. Thus, the number of operators in the distribution of liquid petroleum products increased from 19 to 35 distributors. Prior agreement was also given to 8 new companies to carry out the activity of distributing petroleum products. In addition, 78% of the service stations installed by the new distribution companies were located in rural areas. According to the minister, since the start of the current government’s mandate, 590 service stations have been created for the sale of fuel, for an investment of 1.77 billion DH. This generated 2,950 jobs.
Mohamed CHAOUI
