Gas: Algeria is expected to maintain its position as an important supplier to Europe in the long term

Algiers- Algeria is expected to maintain its position as an important supplier of natural gas to the European market in the long term, according to the new annual report of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum.

The eighth edition of the “Global Gas Outlook 2050” report of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, which was published on its website yesterday, stated that “Algeria is expected to maintain its position as an important supplier of natural gas to the European market, whether through export via pipelines or through liquefied natural gas, until the year 2050.”

The same document explained that the forum stated that Algeria is the main supplier of natural gas to southern Europe, as it allocates about 70% of its exports to this market through gas channels and the remaining 30% in the form of liquefied natural gas.

The same source added that in 2022, Algeria exported a total of 52 billion cubic meters of natural gas through gas pipelines and in the form of liquefied natural gas, stressing that the majority of Algerian exports of liquefied natural gas were destined for Europe.

In terms of quantities, Algeria has exported a total of 10 million tons of liquefied natural gas, with about 9.2 million tons to Europe, making it the fourth largest supplier of liquefied natural gas to the European continent.

The annual report of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (2023) also indicated that the European Union imports gas through pipelines from five countries: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Libya, Norway, and Russia.

The same source added that the European Union’s total imports of gas via pipelines in 2022 amounted to 203 billion cubic metres, recording a decline of 26% compared to 2021.

It was also noted that “Algeria has increased its supply of natural gas, especially thanks to the development of exploited fields and the acceleration of the exploitation of new discoveries made by Sonatrach.”

As for Algeria’s production of natural gas, it recorded a “significant” increase, according to the same report, indicating that it moved from 85 billion cubic meters in 2019 to 101 billion cubic meters in 2022, driven mainly by the expansion of the Hassi R’Mel field. The forum finally concluded by confirming that Algerian production of natural gas will remain at the level of 100 billion cubic meters in 2030.

As for the efforts made to increase production, the report indicated new discoveries near the largest gas field in the country, which is In Hassi R’Mel, which will allow the addition of an amount estimated at 3.5 billion cubic metres.

APS