Louis DeRaguenel
Europe 1 reveals this Sunday morning that Algiers plans to increase its gas deliveries to France, as the risk of a tense winter on the issue looms due to the conflict in Ukraine. However, the energy issue was not officially on the agenda for Emmanuel Macron’s trip.
Algeria could well increase its gas deliveries to France by 50%, according to our information. At this stage, it is an oral commitment on the side of Algiers, hence the absence of official confirmation. Exchanges must take place in the coming hours between Engie and Algeria, both to confirm this upward commitment but also to ratify the volume of this increase.
Compensate for the stoppage of Russian gas imports
During this trip to Algeria, the French delegation was very discreet on the energy side, but Catherine MacGregor, the boss of Engie who was present, was able to meet the Algerian Minister of Energy and Mines as well as the boss of Sonatrach, the Algerian oil and gas giant. It was during this exchange that the subject was raised.
Although France does not display a very great dependence on Algerian gas, only 8%, the possibility of a 50% increase in the volume of deliveries, in the current context, would enable Paris to cope, in part, with the end of gas imports from Russia.