As soon as declared, the announcement was confirmed by ONHYM through a press release in which we learn, in particular, that the preliminary interpretation of the data confirms “the presence of an accumulation of gas at the level of the Anchois well – 2” over a total net thickness of 100 m, spread over 6 zones, and whose thickness varies from 8 to 30 m for each. Said result is the result of drilling work which started on December 17, 2021 to reach the final depth of 2,512 m on December 31.
Electrical energy in the crosshairs
Contacted by us, Pierre Raillard, country director of Chariot Morocco, which holds a 75% stake and operates the Lixus offshore permits in partnership with ONHYM, which owns the remaining 25%, status of its satisfaction, emphasizing that this is “good news” and that its teams are working now to confirm the volumes in place for future development. This gas might, according to him, be available in the medium term for the production of electrical energy or for industries.
Indeed, the production of electricity in Morocco is now largely dominated by fossil fuels. The latest figures previously communicated on this subject show that these provide 81% of total production (67.6% coal, 11.8% gas, 1.5% oil), while renewable energies provide 18 .8% of production.
A “big difference” expected
Chariot had also specified in its press release that the result obtained following the exploration of the Anchois-2 well is “transformational” for the company, arguing that the estimated quantity of gas discovered “greatly exceeds expectations”. An assertion to which Mr. Raillard reacted by emphasizing that this first result has the potential to make a “big difference” in Morocco and, in particular, to be part of the national roadmap for the development of natural gas for the period. 2021 – 2050 implemented by the Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development.
Thus, additional analyzes will be implemented, on the spot, and will include, among other things, the processing of data collected during the drilling campaign and the recalibration of Chariot’s understanding of seismic studies. They will also be used to complete reservoir simulation studies by integrating this new data and will make it possible to obtain a re-certification of gas resources within a few months, explains the head of Chariot-Morocco.
This discovery, however major, will it allow Morocco to ensure, in the medium term, its independence in terms of gas resources? Joined by “L’Opinion”, the Director General of ONHYM, Amina Benkhadra, replied that with “this discovery and that of Tendrara, we hope to contribute to the needs of our power plants and certain industries”. It should be remembered that the British company Sound Energy and ONEE concluded a binding agreement last December to sell gas from Tendrara, in the Oriental region.
Under this agreement, Sound Energy undertakes to deliver the gas for a period of 10 years, ie a contractual volume of 350 million cubic meters per year. It had also announced that it planned to set up a pipeline allowing the gas to be exported to other countries such as Spain and Portugal. According to initial information, it would be a gas pipeline 120 kilometers long, with a transport capacity of 67,000 m³/h and a diameter of 20 inches.