Will Morocco Start Marketing its Gas in two years?

Will Morocco start marketing its gas in two years? The answer is yes, according to local daily l’Economiste, which states that the potential is huge as forecasts put the volume at 60 million cubic feet per day over a minimum period of 10 years.

Morocco’s gas potential is so important that it will soon be marketed, states the daily, which sets a 2-year period for starting the commercialization of the commodity.

The Moroccan Ministry of Energy has just sealed with the UK-based Sound Energy company a new 8 year petroleum deal for the production and exploitation of gas discovered in Tendrara, in Eastern Morocco.

The British operator will start marketing the discovered gas from that concession that covers a 133.5 km-surface area, the daily says, adding that the operator’s plan includes the drilling of 5 new horizontal development wells, in addition to the reconstruction of existing wells.

The construction of gas processing and compression plants is also on the discussion table, in addition to the setting up of a 120km-long pipeline between the future Tendrara station and the delivery point, L’Economiste adds.
Regarding the crucial phase of production and marketing, the daily talks about 60 million cubic feet a day for a minimum of 10 years. During that period, 10 to 13 wells will be drilled to maintain this rate of production.

In June, Sound Energy announced plans to build a gas plant and a pipeline to commercialize gas it discovered in eastern Morocco. The company has set up a consortium comprising Enagas, Elecnor and Fomento for the engineering, design, construction and financing of the entire infrastructure required for this ambitious project.

Morocco imports about 95 percent of its energy needs. For foreign firms, the country represents a stable frontier in North Africa that is poised to be on the international gas map in the years to come.