Gas / The (Nigeria-Algeria) trans-Saharan gas pipeline at the heart of the Algerian-Nigerien consultations

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Gaz Le gazoduc transsaharien au cœur des consultations algéro-nigériennes

Par Feriel NourineLors de la visite de travail qu’il a effectuée au Niger, dimanche et lundi, le ministre des Affaires étrangères Ramtane Lamamra a passé en revue plusieurs dossiers de coopération …

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Gas / The (Nigeria-Algeria) trans-Saharan gas pipeline at the heart of the Algerian-Nigerien consultations

By Feriel Nourine
During his working visit to Niger on Sunday and Monday, Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra reviewed several bilateral cooperation issues with his Nigerien counterpart, Hassoumi Massoudou. Oil and energy issues featured prominently in the consultations between the two ministers, including the Trans-Saharan Gas-Pipeline (TSGP) project. Which was scheduled for deeper consultations during the visit of Minister of Energy and Mines, Mohamed Arkab, to Niger by the end of this month.

The trip that the head of the sector is about to make in this country bordering Algeria will take place at a time marked by the almost confirmed termination of the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline contract (GME). This channel for transporting large volumes of Algerian natural gas to Spain via Moroccan territory has very minimal chances of continuing to operate. The contract concluded between the Algerian and Moroccan authorities should not be renewed beyond October 1, when it expires. As tensions between the two countries were brought to a head by the multiplication of provocations from the Makhzen, Algeria ended up taking action by deciding to sever diplomatic relations with Rabat. In the aftermath of this decision, Mohamed Arkab had made it quite clear that Algiers had itself opted for the non-renewal of the famous contract. A response to the Moroccan party, which had been the first to threaten such an approach in the context of its compromised relations with Spain, a large importer of Algerian gas, following the position taken by this country in the issue of Western Sahara and in that of illegal migration.

A few days earlier, the heads of the sector in Morocco had certainly tried to rectify the situation, by activating a media campaign through which they expressed their interest in a renewal of the GME contract. But the fire was already on, pushing Algeria and Spain to find an alternative, and not the least, to stopping the passage of Algerian gas through Moroccan territory to reach Spain. The Medgaz, the submarine gas pipeline that already transports Algerian gas that directly links Algeria to Spain and that the authorities of the two countries have agreed, through cooperation between Sonatrach and its Spanish partner Natugy, to significantly develop the capacities to continue to satisfy the important Spanish demand.

In this sense, Mohamed Arkab had ensured, at the end of last August, all of Spain's supplies of Algerian natural gas. He expressed Algeria's commitment to this end by receiving the Spanish Ambassador to Algeria, highlighting the recent project to extend the capacity of this gas pipeline directly linking the two countries. However, Spain is not Algeria's only gas customer and the Sonatrach group is working to develop its supply capacities on other fronts and other transport channels in order to capitalize on the potential available to it.

But in addition to its gas, Algeria has a large territory on which it can also capitalize for gas transportation through and to other countries. This is especially the case with the TSGP, which will be discussed during Mr. Arkab's visit to Niger. And it is obviously in anticipation of this visit that the same official had mentioned, a few days ago, this project, highlighting the interest accorded by Algeria to a gas pipeline whose realization would allow to connect the Nigerian gas fields to Europe via the huge Algerian gas pipeline network. The head of the sector in Algeria was speaking to a delegation from the Nigerian National Institute for Political and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) visiting Algeria at the end of August saying: "We pay particular attention to the rapid realization of this important project which will give new impetus to the relations between our two countries, in terms of technical cooperation and capacity building," he said, explaining to the Nigerien side. that the TGSP will induce significant socio-economic benefits in transit countries, while respecting the protection of the environment and sustainable development.

To this end, the Minister reiterated the Algerian side's wish to see Niger ratify the intergovernmental agreement relating to this project, signed in 2009 in Abuja, and which is included in the program of the New Partnership for Africa's Development. (Nepad). After Niger, Mohamed Arkab will therefore continue consultations with Nigerien officials whose territory will serve as transit for the mega-project estimated to cost more than 10 billion dollars, and which could transport between 20 to 30 billion m3 of natural gas from Nigeria to Europe via Niger and Algeria.