Denver – Sources close to the Algerian regime have confirmed that starting next Monday, November 1st, Algiers will cease gas supplies to Morocco through the Europe-Maghreb pipeline.
Algeria, which has steadily severed ties with Morocco this year, made the announcement in August that it intended to divert its gas sales away from Morocco after a 25-year gas distribution contract ends this Sunday.
Under the terms of the tripartite cooperation agreement, Algeria supplied gas to Morocco and Spain via the Europe-Maghreb pipeline.
However, Algerian sources are now reporting that the country is looking to continue its gas distribution to Spain via an alternate route.
After Spanish officials rushed to meet with Algerian officials in a bid to secure gas supplies for their country, sources indicated Algeria would likely divert gas into the Medgaz pipeline, an alternate line running under the Mediterranean connecting Algeria directly to Spain.
This meant Algeria planned to remove Morocco from the Europe-Maghreb pipeline and directly supply Spain with gas.
Algeria remains Spain’s largest gas supplier, with roughly 30% of Spanish gas originating from Algeria. Madrid was caught in a sensitive position as Algeria began stoking tensions with Morocco earlier this year.
As Spain is also working to repair tensions with Morocco after a fallout earlier this year, the Spanish government has avoided commenting on the Moroccan-Algeria spat.
The European country is visibly keen to both secure its gas supply from Algeria and mend its damaged but essential relationship with Morocco.
Rabat has stated it is working to develop alternate strategies to fulfill Morocco’s gas requirements without Algeria.
Moroccan officials indicated the country would likely begin building gas storage facilities as it considers reversing its portion of the Europe-Maghreb pipeline to import gas from other regions.
