Maghreb-Europe Gas Pipeline
Encyclopedia
The Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline (MEG; also known as the Pedro Duran Farell pipeline) is a natural gas
pipeline, which links the Hassi R'mel
field in Algeria
through Morocco
with Cordoba
in Andalusia
, Spain
, where it is connected with the Spanish and Portuguese
gas grids. It supplies mainly Spain and Portugal, as well as Morocco with natural gas.
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.
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. Construction started on 11 October 1994.
The pipeline came on stream on 1 November 1996 and it was commissioned on 9 November 1996. The Spanish section was inaugurated in Cordoba on 9 Dececember 1996. The Portuguese section was inaugurated on 27 February 1997. In 2000, the pipeline was named after Pedro Duran Farell.
and Saipem
. The pipeline consists of five sections. The pipeline's Algerian, Moroccan and Andalusian sections are 48 inches (1,219.2 mm) in diameter; the link to Portugal through Extremadura
is 28 inches (711.2 mm)/32 inches (812.8 mm) in diameter; and the underwater sections consist of two 22 inches (558.8 mm) lines.http://www.bankrz.org/index.php?title=Maghreb-Europe_Gas_Pipeline
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.
. The 522 kilometres (324.4 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 45 kilometres (28 mi); it is owned jointly by Enagás
(Spain), Transgas, and the Moroccan state. The length of the Andalusian section is 269 kilometres (167.1 mi), and the Portuguese section 269 kilometres (167.1 mi) (in addition, there are 270 kilometres (167.8 mi) of pipeline in the autonomous community of Extremadura).
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
pipeline, which links the Hassi R'mel
Hassi R'mel
Hassi R'Mel is a town in Algeria located near the 18th largest gas field worldwide. Hassi R'Mel is located in Laghouat Province northwest of Ghardaïa. It is the capital of Hassi R'Mel District. Hass R'Mel has an airport....
field in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
through Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
with Cordoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
in Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, where it is connected with the Spanish and Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
gas grids. It supplies 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 StrasbourgStrasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
in France. However, because of the Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
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.
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
Sonatrach
Sonatrach is an Algerian government-owned company formed to exploit the hydrocarbon resources of the country. Its diversified activities cover all aspects of production: exploration, extraction, transport, and refining...
and Enagás
Enagás
Enagás, S.A. is a Spanish energy company which owns and operates the nation's gas grid. The firm also owns and operates three liquefied natural gas regasification terminals in the country, at Huelva, Barcelona and Cartagena. A fourth, at the port of El Musel, is currently being constructed and is...
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. Construction started on 11 October 1994.
The pipeline came on stream on 1 November 1996 and it was commissioned on 9 November 1996. The Spanish section was inaugurated in Cordoba on 9 Dececember 1996. The Portuguese section was inaugurated on 27 February 1997. In 2000, the pipeline was named after Pedro Duran Farell.
Technical description
The pipeline is 1620 kilometres (1,006.6 mi) long and it cost US$2.3 billion. I was built by BechtelBechtel
Bechtel Corporation is the largest engineering company in the United States, ranking as the 5th-largest privately owned company in the U.S...
and Saipem
Saipem
Saipem S.p.A. is an Italian oil and gas industry contractor. It is a subsidiary of Italian energy company Eni, which owns approximately 43% of Saipem's shares. Saipem has contracted for designing and constructing several pipelines, including Blue Stream, Greenstream, Nord Stream and South...
. The pipeline consists of five sections. The pipeline's Algerian, Moroccan and Andalusian sections are 48 inches (1,219.2 mm) in diameter; the link to Portugal through Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
is 28 inches (711.2 mm)/32 inches (812.8 mm) in diameter; and the underwater sections consist of two 22 inches (558.8 mm) lines.http://www.bankrz.org/index.php?title=Maghreb-Europe_Gas_Pipeline
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, 515 kilometres (320 mi) long, runs from the Hassi R'mel field in Algeria to the Moroccan border. It is owned and operated by the Algerian energy company, SonatrachSonatrach
Sonatrach is an Algerian government-owned company formed to exploit the hydrocarbon resources of the country. Its diversified activities cover all aspects of production: exploration, extraction, transport, and refining...
. The 522 kilometres (324.4 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
Gas Natural
Gas Natural SDG, S.A., trading as Gas Natural Fenosa, is an energy company which operates primarily in Spain but also in such countries as Italy, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Puerto Rico and Morocco...
), Transgas (Portugal), and SNPP (Morocco). The length of the offshore section crossing the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
is 45 kilometres (28 mi); it is owned jointly by Enagás
Enagás
Enagás, S.A. is a Spanish energy company which owns and operates the nation's gas grid. The firm also owns and operates three liquefied natural gas regasification terminals in the country, at Huelva, Barcelona and Cartagena. A fourth, at the port of El Musel, is currently being constructed and is...
(Spain), Transgas, and the Moroccan state. The length of the Andalusian section is 269 kilometres (167.1 mi), and the Portuguese section 269 kilometres (167.1 mi) (in addition, there are 270 kilometres (167.8 mi) of pipeline in the autonomous community of Extremadura).
See also
- MedgazMedgazMedgaz is a submarine natural gas pipeline between Algeria and Spain.-History:The idea of building a direct gas pipeline between Algeria and Europe arose in the 1970s. However, the technical limitations at that time prevented the construction and operation of an ultra deepwater gas pipeline...
- Trans-Mediterranean PipelineTrans-Mediterranean PipelineThe Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline is a natural gas pipeline from Algeria via Tunisia to Sicily and thence to mainland Italy. An extension of the TransMed pipeline delivers Algerian gas to Slovenia.-History:...
- GALSIGALSIGALSI is a planned natural gas pipeline from Algeria to Sardinia and further northern Italy.-History:The feasibility study was completed in 2005...
- Trans-Saharan gas pipeline