Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline

{{Short description|Natural gas pipeline linking Africa and Europe}}

{{Infobox pipeline

| name = Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline

| type = natural gas

| photo =

| caption =

| map = Gas pipelines across Mediterranee and Sahara map-en.svg

| map_caption = Location of Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline (in yellow)

| country = Algeria, Morocco, Spain, Portugal

| coordinates =

| operator = Sonatrach, Metragaz, Enagás, Transgas

| partners = Sonatrach, Kingdom of Morocco, Enagás, Transgas

| length_km = 1620

| discharge = 12 billion cubic meters per year (not in operation from 2021)

| direction = south-north

| start = Hassi R'Mel, Algeria

| finish = Cordoba, Spain

| est = 1 November 1996

| decom =

| through = Morocco
Mediterranean Sea

| par =

}}

The Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline (MEG; also known as the Pere Duran Farell pipeline{{Cite web |date=2021-10-30 |title=Gasoducto Pere Duran Farell, por Enric Juliana |trans-title=Pere Duran Farell gas pipeline, by Enric Juliana |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20211031/7829261/gasoducto-pere-duran-farell.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=La Vanguardia |language=es |archive-date=2022-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801074357/https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20211031/7829261/gasoducto-pere-duran-farell.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Horcajo |first=Xavier |date=1999-07-11 |title=Fallece Duran Farell, el industrial introductor del gas natural en España |language=es |trans-title=Duran Farell, the industrialist who introduced natural gas in Spain, dies |work=El País |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1999/07/12/economia/931730416_850215.html |access-date=2022-08-01 |issn=1134-6582 |archive-date=2022-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801074357/https://elpais.com/diario/1999/07/12/economia/931730416_850215.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Tomàs |first=Neus |date=2021-11-06 |title=Pere Duran Farell, el visionario que trajo el gas natural a la España del butano |url=https://www.eldiario.es/catalunya/economia/pere-duran-farell-visionario-trajo-gas-natural-espana-butano_1_8462888.html |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=ElDiario.es |language=es |archive-date=2022-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801074816/https://www.eldiario.es/catalunya/economia/pere-duran-farell-visionario-trajo-gas-natural-espana-butano_1_8462888.html |url-status=live }} or Gazoduc Maghreb Europe {{ndash}} GME) is a natural gas pipeline, which links the Hassi R'Mel gas field in Algeria through Morocco with Cordoba in Andalusia, Spain, where it is connected with the Spanish and Portuguese gas grids. Before the operation of the pipeline ceased in October 2021, it used to supply mainly Spain and Portugal, as well as Morocco with natural gas.

History

The Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline was first proposed in 1963 by French companies. This proposal foresaw prolongation of the pipeline to Strasbourg in France. However, because of the Western Sahara dispute, any route from Algeria through Morocco to Spain was prevented. Also natural gas consumption in Spain was too low to justify the pipeline construction.{{cite web

|publisher = Stanford University, Program on Energy and Sustainable Development

|author = Hayes, Mark H.

|url = http://www.rice.edu/energy/publications/docs/GAS_TransmedPipeline.pdf

|title = Algerian Gas to Europe: The Transmed Pipeline and Early Spanish Gas Import Projects. Working Paper #27

|pages = 26–27

|date = May 2004

|accessdate = 2009-07-29

|journal =

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120225024757/http://www.rice.edu/energy/publications/docs/GAS_TransmedPipeline.pdf

|archive-date = 2012-02-25

|url-status = dead

}}

The project started in early 1990s. In 1992, ministers of Spain and Algeria agreed to start the construction of the pipeline. At the same time Sonatrach and Enagás signed a long-term supply agreement. It followed by signing the Moroccan Convention establishing the procedures for the construction, operation and use of the pipeline. At the same year, the project company Europe - Maghreb Pipeline Ltd. was established. In 1994, Transgas of Portugal) joined the project.{{cite conference

| url= http://www.iea.org/textbase/work/2002/cross_border/MORALED.PDF

| title= How the Major Barriers to Cross-Border Gas Trade were Overcome in the Case of the Maghreb Pipeline

| author= Pedro Moraleda

| publisher= International Energy Agency

| conference= Cross Border Gas Trade Issues Workshop

| date= 2002-03-26

| accessdate= 2009-07-29

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070930154811/http://www.iea.org/textbase/work/2002/cross_border/MORALED.PDF

| archive-date= 2007-09-30

| url-status= dead

}} Construction started on 11 October 1994.

{{cite news

| url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-45063603.html

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121026084314/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-45063603.html

| url-status= dead

| archive-date= 2012-10-26

| title= Work begins on Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline

| publisher= Europe Energy

| date=1994-10-14

| accessdate=2009-07-29

}}

The pipeline came on stream on 1 November 1996 and it was commissioned on 9 November 1996.

{{cite news

| url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-46875423.html

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121026084321/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-46875423.html

| url-status= dead

| archive-date= 2012-10-26

| title= Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline comes on stream

| publisher= Europe Energy

| date=1996-11-08

| accessdate=2009-07-29

}}

{{cite news

| url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-46875423.html

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121026084321/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-46875423.html

| url-status= dead

| archive-date= 2012-10-26

| title= Algeria aims for 15% of European gas market via new pipeline

| publisher= Europe Energy

| date=1996-11-22

| accessdate=2009-07-29

}} The Spanish section was inaugurated in Cordoba on 9 December 1996.

{{cite news

| url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-6346234.html

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121026084356/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-6346234.html

| url-status= dead

| archive-date= 2012-10-26

| title= Spanish section of Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline opened

| publisher= Inter Press Service English News Wire

| date=1996-12-11

| accessdate=2009-07-29

}} The Portuguese section was inaugurated on 27 February 1997.{{cite news

| url= http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=BBAB&d_place=BBAB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F99F53BEC5AF415&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

| title= Portuguese section of Maghreb-European gas pipeline inaugurated

| publisher= Algerian Radio

| date= 1997-02-27

| accessdate= 2009-07-29

| archive-date= 2012-10-20

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121020022843/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=BBAB&d_place=BBAB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F99F53BEC5AF415&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

| url-status= live

}} In 2000, the pipeline was named after Pedro or Pere Duran Farell.

Following the breakdown of diplomatic relations between Algeria and Morocco in August 2021, Algeria decided not to renew the 25-year MGE operation contract, which expired at midnight on 31 October 2021, opting instead to supply Spain through the Medgaz pipeline.{{cite news |date=2021-10-28 |title=Europe's energy crisis: Spain presses Algeria to guarantee natural gas supply |work=Euronews |url=https://www.euronews.com/2021/10/28/spain-presses-algeria-to-guarantee-natural-gas-supply |access-date=2021-11-04 |archive-date=2021-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104225505/https://www.euronews.com/2021/10/28/spain-presses-algeria-to-guarantee-natural-gas-supply |url-status=live }}{{cite news |date=2021-11-01 |title=Algeria to halt gas exports to Spain via Morocco |work=Africanews |url=https://www.africanews.com/2021/11/01/algeria-to-halt-gas-exports-to-spain-via-morocco/ |access-date=2021-11-04 |archive-date=2021-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104095120/https://www.africanews.com/2021/11/01/algeria-to-halt-gas-exports-to-spain-via-morocco/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Wang |first=Herman |date=2022-01-28 |title=As Europe seeks alternatives to Russian gas, Algeria has pipeline capacity to spare |publisher=S&P Global |url=https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/market-insights/latest-news/energy-transition/012822-as-europe-seeks-alternatives-to-russian-gas-algeria-has-pipeline-capacity-to-spare |access-date=2022-03-24 |archive-date=2022-03-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324053246/https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/market-insights/latest-news/energy-transition/012822-as-europe-seeks-alternatives-to-russian-gas-algeria-has-pipeline-capacity-to-spare |url-status=live }}

Technical description

The pipeline is {{convert|1620|km|mi}} long and it cost US$2.3 billion. It was built by Bechtel and Saipem.

{{cite news

| url= https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/02/business/gas-pipeline-for-algeria.html?n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/P/Pipelines

| title= Gas Pipeline For Algeria

| work= The New York Times

| date=1993-08-02

| accessdate=2009-07-29

}} The pipeline consists of five sections. The pipeline's Algerian, Moroccan and Andalusian sections are {{convert|48|in|mm}} in diameter; the link to Portugal through Extremadura is {{convert|28|in|mm}}/{{convert|32|in|mm}} in diameter; and the underwater sections consist of two {{convert|22|in|mm|sing=on}} lines.

{{cite web

| url= http://www.bankrz.org/index.php?title=Maghreb-Europe_Gas_Pipeline

| title= Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline

| work= BANKRZ

| url-status= dead

| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120425064411/http://www.bankrz.org/index.php?title=Maghreb-Europe_Gas_Pipeline

| archive-date = 2012-04-25

}}

An initial capacity of the pipeline was 8.6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas per year, which was later expanded to 12 bcm.

Route and operators

The Algerian section of pipeline, {{convert|515|km|mi}} long, runs from the Hassi R'mel field in Algeria to the Moroccan border. It is owned and operated by the Algerian national state-owned oil company, Sonatrach. The {{convert|522|km|mi}} long Moroccan section is owned by the Moroccan State and operated by Metragaz, a joint venture of Sagane (a subsidiary of Spanish Gas Natural), Transgas (Portugal), and SNPP (Morocco). The length of the offshore section crossing the Strait of Gibraltar is {{convert|45|km|mi}}; it is owned jointly by Enagás (Spain), Transgas, and the Moroccan state. The length of the Andalusian section is {{convert|269|km|mi}}, and the Portuguese section {{convert|269|km|mi}} (in addition, there are {{convert|270|km|mi}} of pipeline in the autonomous community of Extremadura).{{cite web |title=Select Transnational Gas/Oil Projects within Africa |url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/tbl4c.html |accessdate=2009-07-29 |publisher=Energy Information Administration |archive-date=2009-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426055002/http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/tbl4c.html |url-status=live }}