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Rabat – Morocco has surpassed France, becoming Spain’s top natural gas customer, according to recent data compiled by the Corporation of Strategic Reserves of Petroleum Products (Cores).Â
The statistics, picked up by The Objective, said Morocco received 9,703 gigawatt hours of natural gas through the Maghreb-Europe pipeline, which connects the two countries.
The number surpasses the amount of gas France received from Spain in 2024, at 9,362 gigawatt hours.
Morocco also surpassed Portugal, which received thousands of hours less of natural gas, only amounting to 4,056.
The Objective said Spain “barely” produces gas, but it has developed significant infrastructure for the products, including the Medgas and the Maghreb-Europe gas pipelines, in addition to six regasification plants.
According to data from Attaqa, Morocco’s gas imports witnessed a global increase of 3%, equivalent to 25 cubic meters on a yearly basis.
The North African country imported 886 million cubic meters of gas in 2024, compared to 861 million cubic meters in 2023.
In the first quarter of last year, Morocco imported 186 million cubic meters of gas, while in the second quarter gas imports reached 219 million cubic meters.
Third quarter witnessed gas imports of 252 cubic meters, while in the fourth quarter, Morocco imported 229 million cubic meters.
“As shown in the numbers above, the third quarter recorded the highest level of Morocco’s gas imports in 2024, aligning with seasonal demand trends, with an increase of 7 million cubic meters year-on-year,” Attaqa wrote.Â
The only decline was recorded in the second quarter, dropping by 15 million cubic meters compared to 2023, when the North African country imported 234 million cubic meters of gas, the same statistics show.
Last year, July and August were the months that witnessed the highest level of Morocco’s gas imports.Â
Despite this import activity, Morocco has pledged measures to be self-sufficient in terms of natural gas production.
In February, CEO of Sound Energy Graham Lyon said undiscovered potential gas in eastern Morocco could exceed 20 trillion cubic feet.
Earlier this year, British company Sound Energy announced a gas liquefaction facility at the Tendrara field in eastern Morocco. This means Morocco is poised to join the liquified natural gas production market for the first time in its history by the end of this year.
The measure also seeks to reduce Morocco’s reliance on gas imports, elevating the pressing need to rely locally on electricity and phosphates, among other energy sources.
