In September, Algeria regained first place as a supplier of natural gas to Spain, to the detriment of the United States, which had become the top supplier to the country month after month since last January.
According to data from the latest Enagás Statistical Bulletin, natural gas consumption from Algeria reached 8,931 gigawatt hours (GWh) in September, 25.4% of the total supply. Of these, 7,962 GWh arrived by tube (Medgaz), while 969 GWh did so by methane tanker (LNG).
The United States was the second country in the origin of the gas consumed in Spain this past September, with 6,012 GWh, 17.1% of the total.
However, the North American giant remains by far the country’s leading supplier of natural gas so far in 2022, with a record figure of 102,694 GWh, 30.5% of the total.
Algeria, historically the main supplier of natural gas to Spain, was displaced at the beginning of the year by the United States. In the last quarter of 2021, the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline was completely closed after several clashes between Algiers and Rabat and, in addition, this year there was an escalation in diplomatic tension between Spain and the African country due to the Government’s turn regarding the Occidental Sahara.
However, this Thursday, Naturgy sealed an agreement with the state-owned Sonatrach to review the price of its natural gas supply contracts from Algeria that retroactively affects the volumes supplied this year. In addition, the two companies continue to negotiate, within the framework of the contractual clauses, the prices applicable as of January 1, 2023.
In the year to date, Algeria is only behind the United States as the main suppliers of natural gas to Spain, with a total of 82,593 GWh -77,146 GWh per tube and 5,447 GWh in LNG-, 24.5% of the total .
So far in 2022, within the country’s territorial diversification in its supply of natural gas, Nigeria also stands out, with 14.5% of the total (48,705 GWh).
In the case of Russia, imports in the first nine months of the year stood at 38,125 GWh, 11.3% of the total, and in September they amounted to 5,355 GWh, 15.2% in the month. However, most of this gas comes from the production of Yamal LNG, which does not depend on the Russian gas giant Gazprom but on the private company Novatek.
In September, almost 70% of the natural gas that arrived in Spain did so by methane tanker, compared to 48.9% in the same month last year, with gas by tube representing just 30%.
Thus, in September, the significant increase in ship unloading stood out, which shot up 39% compared to the same month last year, bringing a total of 24,511 GWh to the Spanish regasification plants, compared to 17,630 GWh in the same month of 2021.
Thus, the number of ships unloaded throughout the month of September in Spain grew by 42%, reaching the figure of 27, 8 more than in the same month last year.
DEMAND FALLS 6.8%.
The demand for natural gas in the country fell by 6.8% in September compared to the same month last year, to 28,144 GWh, mainly due to the drop in conventional gas (-38%), since that destined for the sector electricity grew by 54%.
So far this year, the demand for natural gas has registered an increase of 3.8%, up to 280,362 GWh, with an 80% increase in that destined for electricity and a fall of 17% in conventional.
Mark Phil is a former market analyst and consultant. Mark in his 9-year career as an analyst, worked with top market players like Prodge LLS, Westat Inc. and Precision Opinion Inc. He moved towards writing in the year 2013. In the past, he undertook several freelance projects to begin his writing profession. Mark completed his economics degree from Columbia University. Along with performing sub-editorial duties, he is also writing a book on Market analysis.
