Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline

The Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline (MEG; also known as the Pere Duran Farell pipeline[2][3][4] or Gazoduc Maghreb Europe – GME) is a natural gas pipeline, which links the Hassi R'Mel gas field in Algeria through Morocco with Cordoba in Andalusia, Spain, where it is connected with the Spanish and Portuguese gas grids. Before the operation of the pipeline ceased in October 2021, it used to supply mainly Spain and Portugal, as well as Morocco with natural gas.

Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline
Location of Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline (in yellow)
Location of Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline (in yellow)
Location
CountryAlgeria, Morocco, Spain, Portugal
General directionsouth-north
FromHassi R'Mel, Algeria
Passes throughMorocco
Mediterranean Sea
ToCordoba, Spain
General information
Typenatural gas
PartnersSonatrach, Kingdom of Morocco, Enagás, Transgas
OperatorSonatrach, Metragaz, Enagás, Transgas
Commissioned1 November 1996
Technical information
Length1,620 km (1,010 mi)
Maximum discharge12 billion cubic meters per year (not in operation from 2021)[1]

History

The Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline was first proposed in 1963 by French companies. This proposal foresaw prolongation of the pipeline to Strasbourg in France. However, because of the Western Sahara dispute, any route from Algeria through Morocco to Spain was prevented. Also natural gas consumption in Spain was too low to justify the pipeline construction.[5]

The project started in early 1990s. In 1992, ministers of Spain and Algeria agreed to start the construction of the pipeline. At the same time Sonatrach and Enagás signed a long-term supply agreement. It followed by signing the Moroccan Convention establishing the procedures for the construction, operation and use of the pipeline. At the same year, the project company Europe - Maghreb Pipeline Ltd. was established. In 1994, Transgas of Portugal) joined the project.[6] Construction started on 11 October 1994.[7]

The pipeline came on stream on 1 November 1996 and it was commissioned on 9 November 1996.[8][9] The Spanish section was inaugurated in Cordoba on 9 December 1996.[10] The Portuguese section was inaugurated on 27 February 1997.[11] In 2000, the pipeline was named after Pedro or Pere Duran Farell.

Following the breakdown of diplomatic relations between Algeria and Morocco in August 2021, Algeria decided not to renew the 25-year MGE operation contract, which expired at midnight on 31 October 2021, opting instead to supply Spain through the Medgaz pipeline.[12][13][1]

Technical description

The pipeline is 1,620 kilometres (1,010 mi) long and it cost US$2.3 billion. It was built by Bechtel and Saipem.[9][14] The pipeline consists of five sections. The pipeline's Algerian, Moroccan and Andalusian sections are 48 inches (1,200 mm) in diameter; the link to Portugal through Extremadura is 28 inches (710 mm)/32 inches (810 mm) in diameter; and the underwater sections consist of two 22-inch (560 mm) lines.[15]

An initial capacity of the pipeline was 8.6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per year, which was later expanded to 12 bcm.

Route and operators

The Algerian section of pipeline, 515 kilometres (320 mi) long, runs from the Hassi R'mel field in Algeria to the Moroccan border. It is owned and operated by the Algerian national state-owned oil company, Sonatrach. The 522 kilometres (324 mi) long Moroccan section is owned by the Moroccan State and operated by Metragaz, a joint venture of Sagane (a subsidiary of Spanish Gas Natural), Transgas (Portugal), and SNPP (Morocco). The length of the offshore section crossing the Strait of Gibraltar is 45 kilometres (28 mi); it is owned jointly by Enagás (Spain), Transgas, and the Moroccan state. The length of the Andalusian section is 269 kilometres (167 mi), and the Portuguese section 269 kilometres (167 mi) (in addition, there are 270 kilometres (170 mi) of pipeline in the autonomous community of Extremadura).[16]

See also

References
  1. Wang, Herman (2022-01-28). "As Europe seeks alternatives to Russian gas, Algeria has pipeline capacity to spare". S&P Global. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  2. "Gasoducto Pere Duran Farell, por Enric Juliana" [Pere Duran Farell gas pipeline, by Enric Juliana]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2021-10-30. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  3. Horcajo, Xavier (1999-07-11). "Fallece Duran Farell, el industrial introductor del gas natural en España" [Duran Farell, the industrialist who introduced natural gas in Spain, dies]. El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  4. Tomàs, Neus (2021-11-06). "Pere Duran Farell, el visionario que trajo el gas natural a la España del butano". ElDiario.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  5. Hayes, Mark H. (May 2004). "Algerian Gas to Europe: The Transmed Pipeline and Early Spanish Gas Import Projects. Working Paper #27" (PDF). Stanford University, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development. pp. 26–27. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  6. Pedro Moraleda (2002-03-26). How the Major Barriers to Cross-Border Gas Trade were Overcome in the Case of the Maghreb Pipeline (PDF). Cross Border Gas Trade Issues Workshop. International Energy Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  7. "Work begins on Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline". Europe Energy. 1994-10-14. Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  8. "Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline comes on stream". Europe Energy. 1996-11-08. Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  9. "Algeria aims for 15% of European gas market via new pipeline". Europe Energy. 1996-11-22. Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  10. "Spanish section of Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline opened". Inter Press Service English News Wire. 1996-12-11. Archived from the original on 2012-10-26. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  11. "Portuguese section of Maghreb-European gas pipeline inaugurated". Algerian Radio. 1997-02-27. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  12. "Europe's energy crisis: Spain presses Algeria to guarantee natural gas supply". Euronews. 2021-10-28.
  13. "Algeria to halt gas exports to Spain via Morocco". Africanews. 2021-11-01.
  14. "Gas Pipeline For Algeria". The New York Times. 1993-08-02. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  15. "Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline". BANKRZ. Archived from the original on 2012-04-25.
  16. "Select Transnational Gas/Oil Projects within Africa". Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
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