Latest news with #GasPipeline
Morocco World
07-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
UAE To Invest in Morocco-Nigeria Gas Pipeline Project
Rabat – After interest from the US, the UAE is reportedly contributing to co-funding a $25 billion project to build the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline. Minister of Energy Leila Benali announced the news recently, noting that the project won support from different international organizations, as well as the UAE. 'As for finance, the project has won the support of IDB, OPEC Fund, EIB, and the UAE…it will pass through 15 African countries,' she said. On Tuesday, the minister emphasized that Morocco is on a steady path to becoming a regional hub for renewable energy. She stressed that Morocco is focusing on developing renewable energy, localizing technology, and building local industrial supply chains that create jobs. Minister Benali added that the country has strong potential to produce green hydrogen products such as methanol and ammonia, which could power international shipping fleets at lower costs than liquified natural gas. Morocco has been working to strengthen and diversify its gas resources for years. In April, the country announced the start of an action plan, expressing interest in launching a tender to develop the first phase of the natural gas terminal in Nador. As part of its strategies to reinforce energy assets, Morocco is also working with Nigeria on the mega $25 billion gas pipeline project that seeks to connect at least 13 African countries, providing them with gas. Morocco is set to be home to 1,672 kilometers of the pipeline, which will also connect the Nigerian gas to Europe. In addition to the UAE, the US has also reportedly expressed interest in investing in the project. Voice of Naija quoted Nigeria's Minister of Finance, Wale Edum, in April, noting that he held a meeting with Nigeria's Central Bank Governor Olayemi Gardoso and the director of international economic relations, as well as with representatives from the US State Department. 'Key areas of interest include U.S. interest in investments in Nigeria's natural gas sector, particularly the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline, given the country's vast gas reserves,' the minister said. Tags: nigeria morocconigeria morocco pipeline
Morocco World
23-04-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Morocco Officially Launches Tender Process for LNG Terminal
Rabat – Morocco has officially launched a tender, expressing interest in the development of national gas infrastructure, including the creation of the country's first liquefied natural terminal at the Nador West Med Port. Minister of Energy Leila Benali announced the news today during her participation at the 16th Energy Conference in Ouarzazate. The Energy Federation, in partnership with the Moroccan agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) and the Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN), hosted the event, chaired by Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch. During the event, Benali said that a gas pipeline network will be built to connect the new terminal to the Maghreb Europe Gas Pipeline. The network will supply existing and future power plants operated by the National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water, as well as industrial zones extending to Kenitra and Mohammedia. It will be later linked to future LNG terminals on Morocco's Atlantic coast and to the ongoing Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline project. Benali explained that the project is part of Morocco's efforts to boost the country's energy security and expand regional partnerships, noting the critical interconnection between energy, water, and food security amid global geopolitical tensions and environmental pressures. She also conveyed Morocco's determination and commitment toward developing further Morocco's energy transition, highlighting the role of international cooperation in accelerating this transition. The energy minister notably stressed the importance of cooperation with France, the guest of honor at this year's conference. Morocco seeks to supply its energy demands through renewable energy, to achieve at least 52% of installed energy capacity from renewable energy by 2030. Reports indicate that this capacity has now reached 45%. Tags: Moroccan natural gas projectnatural gas in Morocco
Zawya
14-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Qatar to provide gas to Syria via Jordan with a US nod, sources say
BEIRUT: Qatar is set to provide Syria with gas via Jordan to improve the nation's meagre electricity supply and boost Syria's new rulers, according to three people familiar with the matter, in a move that a U.S. official said had Washington's approval. It would be the most significant tangible support for the new administration in Damascus by Qatar, one of the region's sternest opponents of the now-deposed Bashar al-Assad and strongest backers of the rebels-turned rulers who replaced him. A U.S. official said the gas deal had a nod of approval from President Donald Trump's administration without saying how this was communicated. Qatar's state news agency later said an agreement had been signed between Qatar's development fund and Jordan's energy ministry to provide Damascus with "an approved supply of natural gas" via Jordan to help address Syria's electricity shortage, without mentioning Syria's new rulers or Washington. Qatar's fund will provide Jordan's energy ministry with a grant to supply Syria with the gas, the fund told Reuters in an email. Jordanian energy minister Saleh al-Kharabsheh told Jordan's state news agency the initiative would be fully funded by Qatar's fund. The gas will be received at Jordan's Red Sea port of Aqaba and pumped to Syria via the Arab Gas Pipeline, Jordanian energy minister al-Kharabsheh said. A segment of the pipeline runs from Aquaba north across Jordan to Syria. The U.S. green light and efforts to encourage a deal between Kurdish forces in Syria's north and Damascus suggest the U.S. remains actively engaged in Syria, despite Washington moving more cautiously than European states to ease sanctions. The gas would be transferred from Jordan via a pipeline to the Deir Ali power plant in southern Syria, two of the sources said. The move will initially boost the Deir Ali power plant's output by 400 megawatts per day, an amount that would "gradually increase", according to the Qatari fund's statement. Estimates of Syria's recent power capacity range up to around 4,000 MW. The U.S. State Department and Qatar's foreign ministry did not respond to emailed requests for comment. JORDAN POWER SUPPLY Syria suffers from severe power shortages, with state-supplied electricity available just two or three hours a day in most areas. Damage to the electricity grid means that generating or supplying more power is only part of the problem. Damascus used to receive the bulk of its oil for power generation from Iran, but supplies have been cut off since Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham led the ouster of Tehran-allied former president Assad in December. The interim government has pledged to quickly ramp up power supply, partly by importing electricity from Jordan and using floating power barges that have yet to arrive. According to two further sources with knowledge of the matter, Jordan has received U.S. approval to move forward with the supply of up to 250 MW of electricity during non-peak hours. However, Syria still needs to make fixes to its electricity grid and solve other technical issues before the supply, expected at around 250 megawatts during non-peak hours, can begin, the sources said. "The internal network in Syria is not yet ready to receive this and needs a significant amount of work. Additionally, some matters are still unclear about financing of the agreement," said Ibrahim Seif, a former Jordanian minister of energy and mineral resources. U.S. and Jordanian officials did not respond to requests for comment on the plan. WAIVER UNCERTAINTY A Western diplomat briefed on the Qatari gas plan said it came as part of an effort by Doha to follow up political backing from Gulf Arab states including Saudi Arabia and Qatar with tangible help to support Syria's new rulers. "They are very keen to finally give something, even if it won't make a huge difference," the diplomat said. Gulf backing has largely not been matched by official, tangible assistance due to U.S. sanctions on Syria, despite a waiver issued in January that allowed for some transactions, including on energy. But the exemption did not remove any sanctions, and states and entities looking to engage with Syria have sought additional guarantees. Reuters reported last month that Qatar was holding off providing Syria's new rulers with funds to increase public sector pay due to uncertainty over whether the transfers would breach U.S. sanctions. (Reporting by Timour Azhari and Andrew Mills; Additional reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi in Amman and Enas Alashray in Cairo; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Aidan Lewis and Andrew Heavens)
