Morocco's Ambitious Natural Gas Production Goals
Morocco is setting its sights on significantly increasing its natural gas production, aiming to reach 400 million cubic meters annually within the next few years. Currently, the country produces only about 110 million cubic meters, which meets merely 10% of its total consumption of one billion cubic meters. This ambitious goal is part of Morocco's broader strategy to reduce its energy import bill, which amounted to 122 billion dirhams ($12.3 billion) last year, and to diversify its energy sources between fossil fuels and renewables.
Exploration and Investment Landscape
The Moroccan government is actively supporting new discoveries in hydrocarbons, with 13 foreign companies currently engaged in exploration and production across 283 square kilometers. Significant investments have been made in this sector, totaling 29.4 billion dirhams ($2.9 billion) from 2000 to 2022, with 96% financed by international partners. The Gharb Basin stands out as a key area for gas production, having produced 254 million cubic meters over the past five years. Other promising sites include the Essaouira and Tendrara basins, where exploration efforts continue to yield positive results.
Future Prospects and Challenges
Experts in the field, such as Abdel Samad Malaoui and Amin Bennouna, emphasize that while Morocco has made substantial progress in gas exploration, the quantities discovered so far remain modest and not yet at commercial levels. The exploration process is complex and can take up to ten years from initial surveys to commercial extraction. Nonetheless, recent findings, particularly in the Tendrara region, indicate significant reserves, potentially exceeding 1.5 billion cubic meters. Morocco's strategy includes enhancing job opportunities and infrastructure development while ensuring energy security through a diversified energy portfolio.
