The Algerian national company also explained that it had reservations, about being able to significantly increase its contribution to Europe.
Algeria is tightening its gas diplomacy. While Spain recently changed its mind on the Western Sahara issue, giving its support to the Moroccan autonomy project for the first time, the public company Sonatrach has threatened to raise the price of gas sold in Madrid.
“Since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine, gas and oil prices have exploded. Algeria has decided to maintain, for all of its customers, relatively correct contractual prices. However, it is not excluded to proceed to a “recalculation” of prices with our Spanish client”, declared its CEO Toufik Hakkar, to the official agency APS.
Already a cut in Morocco
Algiers is having a hard time with what it considers to be a “turnaround” concerning the former Spanish colony. Madrid had always adopted a neutral position between Rabat and the Sahrawi separatists of the Polisario Front, supported by Algiers, before supporting Morocco on March 18.
On the 19th, Algiers recalled its ambassador to Spain. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez then promised to “do everything to restore unfortunately altered diplomatic relations” with Spain’s second main gas supplier (23%), behind the United States (33%).
The conflict in Western Sahara, a vast desert territory rich in phosphates and with abundant waters, has opposed Morocco to the separatists of the Polisario since the departure of the Spaniards in 1975.
Already in October, Algiers had cut its gas pipeline leading to Spain and passing through Morocco, in an attempt to asphyxiate its neighbor: Rabat has since been forced to import Algerian gas from Spain.
Significant reserves for Europe
Toufik Hakkar was also asked about the possibility of Algeria replacing Russia in its natural gas supplies. According to him, Sonatrach has barely “a few billion [de m3 disponible, NDLR] which cannot replace Russian gas”.
On the other hand, “with the rate of our explorations, our capacities will double within four years, which suggests promising prospects with our European customers”, specified the CEO of Sonatrach. Before the start of the war in Ukraine, Algerian imports represented nearly 12% of deliveries sent to Europe.
