Page 5 - AfrElec Week 46 2021
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AfrElec COMMENTARY AfrElec
(MENA) group, drew attention to several ongo-
ing Moroccan upstream projects. “Indigenous 300 mcf [8.5 mcm] per day in 2040.”
sources of gas such as the Tendrara-5 Horst, Hamish Kinnear, a Middle East and North
Lalla Mimouna Sud, Moulay Bouchta Ouest Africa analyst for Verisk Maplecroft, also high-
and Lixus projects could also increase long- lighted the potential of FSRUs as a possible solu-
term domestic gas production,” he told News- tion for Morocco in the years to come. “Morocco
Base. (TE-5 Horst has been assigned to Sound could construct LNG terminals or bring in float-
Energy, while Lalla Mimouna Sud and Moulay ing storage [and] regasification units (FSRU) to
Bouchta Ouest are being developed by SDX import gas normally supplied through GME,” he
Energy. Meanwhile, Lixus, the offshore block told NewsBase.
that includes the Anchois gas field, is held by Kinnear indicated that he believed Rabat was
Chariot Oil & Gas. All three of these companies keen on the FSRU option, referring to Moroc-
are based in the UK.) co’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustain-
able Development Leila Benali’s statements on
FSRUs for LNG imports November 8 about plans to prepare local ports
On the other hand, Morocco is considering the for incoming LNG shipments. “Tangier may be
possibility of using floating storage and regasifi- a possible location for an FSRU,” he remarked.
cation units (FSRUs) to import gas in the form of Like Sherriff, he said he saw FSRUs as a
LNG. According to Sherriff, the North African longer-term option that was not quite viable yet.
state might be able to start receiving gas in this Morocco’s gas needs are likely to remain rela-
fashion a few years down the road. tively modest for the time being, and the coun-
“In the longer term, gas shortages could try can switch to other types of fuel in the short
be filled [with] imported LNG,” he said. term, he stated. “Morocco is able to import more
“[US-based] Predator [Oil & Gas] has submit- oil and coal and utilise existing spare capacity at
ted a bid to build a floating LNG regasification other power plants ... [There] are increased costs
terminal with an initial capacity of 110mn cubic for Morocco with the end of Algerian supply,
feet [3.12mn cubic metres] per day by 2025, ris- but it’s a major inconvenience, not an existential
ing to 170 mcf [4.81 mcm] per day in 2030 and issue for its energy supply,” he said.
Week 46 18•November•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P5
