Morocco to Launch $6 Billion Tender for Gas Infrastructure Overhaul

Morocco is set to launch a major $6 billion tender to overhaul and develop its natural gas infrastructure, as announced by Leila Benali, the country's Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, during the CERAWeek energy conference held in Houston. The investment, heavily backed by the private sector, will focus on several key areas: establishing LNG import terminals across multiple ports, expanding gas transport pipelines to connect various demand centers, and supporting the local production of natural gas from the onshore Tendrara and offshore Anchois fields. This initiative is a cornerstone of Morocco’s wider energy transition strategy which aims for a renewable energy contribution of 52% in its national energy mix by 2030, alongside improving energy efficiency and developing crucial energy infrastructure. Despite the ambitious plans, Morocco currently produces less than 100 million cubic meters of natural gas annually while importing approximately 1 billion cubic meters from Spain. Additionally, the country is progressing with the Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline project, which will further integrate natural gas into its energy sector.