Page 18 - DMEA Week 43 2021

DMEA NEWS IN BRIEF DMEA

across the country. flowing to Spain, either through the Medgaz GIP says will not bid
It was Iran’s most vocal eruption of public pipeline or via direct tanker shipments of
dissent in a decade. LNG. for Saudi Aramco’s gas
AFP The upcoming lapse of the 25-year transit
agreement has also sparked worries in pipelines
Morocco, which has been receiving a portion
PIPELINES of the Algerian gas pumped through its Private equity firm Global Infrastructure
section of GME. Partners (GIP) will not bid for Saudi Aramco’s
Gas shipments via GME to exploring various options to meet the gas pipeline assets but is looking at other
Officials in Rabat have said they are
assets in the region, GIP founding partner
stop by November 1 country’s energy needs in the absence of Matthew Harris said on Wednesday.
There are other candidates for such
Algerian deliveries, including the construction
Spanish gas importers are reportedly of new gas storage facilities and the reversal of opportunities in the region, including Qatar,
expecting Algeria to stop delivering natural the Moroccan portion of the GME pipeline to Kuwait and Oman, Harris told Reuters
gas via the Gaz-Maghreb-Europe (GME) facilitate imports of gas from other regions. on the sidelines of the Future Investment
pipeline by the beginning of November. Questions about the fate of Algerian gas Initiative conference in Riyadh. Investment
According to data published last week by shipments to Spain have been mounting opportunities exist in oil infrastructure, gas
Enagas (Spain), gas importers have taken since late September, when Algiers broke off and LNG assets, he said. Saudi Aramco is
note of Algeria’s decision not to renew its relations with Rabat following a diplomatic looking to raise at least $17 billion from the
25-year transit agreement with neighbouring dispute over the US government’s recognition sale of a significant minority stake in its gas
Morocco, which is due to expire on October of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. pipelines, sources previously told Reuters.
31. As such, they have placed no orders (also US authorities took this step with the aim Reuters reported in August that companies
known as “nominations”) to reserve capacity of rewarding Morocco for its recognition that have been in talks for Aramco’s gas
in the GME pipeline after November 1. of the state of Israel. These developments pipeline assets include Global Infrastructure
Algeria remains Spain’s largest single have met with a chilly reception in Algeria, Partners (GIP), Brookfield and Singapore
source of gas, accounting roughly 30% of which has hosted Western Sahara’s Polisario sovereign wealth fund GIC.
all supplies in the Iberian country. As such, independence movement in the past, and Aramco and other Gulf oil producers are
Algiers’ decision not to continue gas deliveries Algiers has been accusing Rabat of hostile following Abu Dhabi and its plans to raise tens
to the Moroccan market has sparked concern actions ever since. of billions of dollars through sales of stakes
in Madrid and heightened worries about NEWSBASE in energy assets, capitalising on a rebound in
pan-European gas shortages. Algerian officials crude prices to attract foreign investors.
have said, though, that gas will continue REUTERS

P18 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 43 28•October•2021