Spain begins supplying gas to Morocco through Maghreb-European pipeline

Spain has begun, Thursday morning supplying Morocco with gas through the Gas Maghreb Europe Pipeline (GME).

“Morocco will be able to purchase Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) on the international markets, unload it at a regasification plant on the Spanish mainland and use the Maghreb gas pipeline to bring it to its territory,” said The Spanish Energy Ministry in a statement.

Spanish authorities stressed that “the gas that will be transported to Morocco will not come from Algeria”.

Spain’s reaction came after Algeria threatened to end gas supplies to the country if Madrid sold any Algerian gas to other countries.

“Any amount of Algerian gas exported to Spain whose destination is other than those stipulated in the contracts, will be considered a breach of the signed agreement,” said the Algerian Ministry of Energy and Mines on Wednesday.

Gas normally flows through the GME (Gaz Maghreb Europe) line from Algeria to Spain via Morocco. However, after cutting diplomatic ties with Rabat in October 2021, Algeria had decided to shut supply through the GME pipeline, which links Spain to Algeria via Morocco.

Spain received the Algerian gas through the Medgaz line, which does not cross Morocco, but following Madrid’s new decision, gas will go back flowing through the GME pipeline.

Spain heavily depends on Algeria’s gas. The country, which is Africa’s largest gas exporter, supplied more than 40 percent of Madrid’s natural gas imports in 2021.

But despite this dependence, Madrid has radically changed its position regarding the Western Sahara conflict in March, and supported Morocco’s Autonomy Plan, describing it as the most “realistic and credible” solution.