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A30 world news
Diahuebs 13 OctOber 2022

Europe turns to Africa in bid to replace Russian natural gas

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) —
A new liquefied natural
gas project off Africa’s
western coast may only be
80% complete, but already
the prospect of a new en-
ergy supplier has drawn
visits from the leaders of
Poland and Germany.

The initial field near Senegal
and Mauritania’s coastlines is
expected to contain about 15
trillion cubic feet (425 bil-
lion cubic meters) of gas, five
times more than what gas-
dependent Germany used in
all of 2019. But production
isn’t expected to start until
the end of next year.

That won’t help solve Eu-
rope’s energy crisis triggered
by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Still, Gordon Birrell, an exec-
utive for project co-develop- to secure alternative sources in energy issues at the Uni- Wusu, a Lagos-based oil and
er BP, says the development as Moscow has reduced natu- While an earlier agreement versity of Algiers. gas expert.
“could not be more timely” ral gas flows to EU countries, allowed Italy’s biggest energy
as Europe seeks to reduce triggering soaring energy company to start production This year, Algeria is forecast Wusu urged pursuing LNG,
its reliance on Russian natu- prices and growing expec- at two Algerian gas fields this to have piped exports of 31.8 calling it the “most profit-
ral gas to power factories, tations of a recession. The week, it wasn’t clear when billion cubic meters, accord- able” gas strategy so far.
generate electricity and heat 27-nation EU, whose energy flows would start from the ing to Tom Purdie, a Eu-
homes. ministers are meeting this July deal because it lacked rope, Middle East and Africa In the south, Mozambique
week to discuss a gas price specifics, analysts said. gas analyst with S&P Global is slated to become a major
While Africa’s natural gas cap, is bracing for the possi- Commodity Insights. exporter of LNG after sig-
reserves are vast and North bility of a complete Russian African leaders like Sen- nificant deposits were found
African countries like Al- cutoff but has still managed egalese President Macky Sall Cash-strapped Egypt also along its Indian Ocean coast
geria have pipelines already to fill gas reserves to 90%. want their countries to cash is looking to export more in 2010. France’s TotalEn-
linked to Europe, a lack of in on these projects even as natural gas to Europe, even ergies invested $20 billion
infrastructure and security European leaders have they’re dissuaded from pur- regulating air conditioning in and started work to extract
challenges have long stymied flocked to countries like suing fossil fuels. They don’t shopping malls and lights on gas that would be liquefied
producers in other parts of Norway, Qatar, Azerbaijan want to export it all either streets to save energy and sell in a plant it was building in
the continent from scaling and especially those in North — an estimated 600 million it instead. Palma, in the northern Cabo
up exports. Established Af- Africa, where Algeria has a Africans lack access to elec- Delgado province.
rican producers are cutting pipeline running to Italy and tricity. Prime Minister Mostafa
deals or reducing energy use another to Spain. Madbouly says Egypt hopes But Islamic extremist vio-
so they have more to sell Algeria is a major supplier — to bring in an additional $450 lence forced TotalEnergies to
to boost their finances, but Italy signed a $4 billion gas it and Egypt accounted for million a month in foreign indefinitely scupper the proj-
some leaders warn that hun- deal with Algeria in July, a 60% of the natural gas pro- currency by rerouting 15% ect last year. Mozambican of-
dreds of millions of Africans month after Egypt reached an duction in Africa in 2020 — of its domestic gas usage for ficials have pledged to secure
lack electricity and supplies agreement with the Europe- but it can’t offset Russian gas export, state media reported. the Palma area to allow work
are needed at home. an Union and Israel to boost to Europe at this stage, said to resume.
sales of LNG. Angola also has Mahfoud Kaoubi, professor More than 60% of Egypt’s
Europe has been scrambling signed a gas deal with Italy. of economics and specialist natural gas consumption still Italian firm Eni, meanwhile,
is used by power stations to pressed ahead with plans to
keep the country running. pump and liquefy some of
Most of its LNG goes to its gas deposits discovered
Asian markets. in Mozambique in 2011 and
2014. Eni established a plat-
A proposed 4,400-kilometer- form in the Indian Ocean
long (2,734-mile-long) pipe- 50 miles (80 kilometers)
line that would take Nigerian offshore, away from the vio-
gas to Algeria through Niger lence in Cabo Delgado.
has been stalled since 2009,
mainly because of its estimat- It’s the first floating LNG fa-
ed cost of $13 billion. cility in the deep waters off
Africa, Eni says, with gas liq-
Many fear that even if com- uefaction capacity of 3.4 mil-
pleted, the Trans-Sahara Gas lion tons per year.
Pipeline would face secu-
rity risks like Nigeria’s oil The platform liquefied its
pipelines, which have come first gas on Oct. 2, accord-
under frequent attacks from ing to Africa Energy, and the
militants and vandals. first shipment is expected to
depart for Europe in mid-
The same challenges would October.
hinder increased gas ex-
ports to Europe, said Olufola