Significant Increase in Gas Imports
In July 2026, Morocco experienced a remarkable increase in its gas imports, which surged by 15.4% month-on-month, rebounding from supply disruptions caused by the ongoing American-Israeli conflict with Iran. According to recent data obtained by the specialized energy platform based in Washington, Morocco's gas imports for the month reached approximately 991 gigawatt-hours (GWh), up from 859 GWh recorded in June 2026. On a yearly basis, the imports remained relatively stable, with only a slight decrease from 992 GWh in July 2025.
The Moroccan Ministry of Energy typically does not disclose the specific sources of its gas supplies, only indicating that liquefied natural gas (LNG) is imported from various international sources. Based on information from the specialized energy platform, it has been noted that Morocco imports a portion of its LNG from several countries, primarily Russia and the United States, along with supplies provided by Shell under an agreement established in 2023. The country regasifies LNG in Spain before transporting these supplies via the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline, which was previously utilized for transporting Algerian gas to Europe.
Yearly Trends and Gas Supply Challenges
Despite the recent growth in July, Morocco's overall gas imports in the first seven months of 2026 decreased by 13.2% year-on-year. This decline is attributed to the earlier supply disruptions resulting from the conflict in Iran, although a ceasefire agreement has since improved the situation. From January to July 2026, Morocco recorded gas imports totaling around 4.98 terawatt-hours (TWh), down from 5.74 TWh in the same period of the previous year. Notably, April saw the lowest import levels, while July marked a peak in gas imports for 2026, highlighting the recovery trend.
Data indicates the breakdown of Morocco's gas imports for the first seven months of 2026 as follows: January recorded 822 GWh, February saw 572 GWh, March had 583 GWh, April dropped to 377 GWh, May increased to 778 GWh, June was at 859 GWh, and July concluded with 991 GWh. Import interruptions were noted in March and April 2026, influenced by the Iranian war, but a significant rebound was observed in May 2026, with a staggering 106.4% increase in imports, according to figures released by the Spanish Oil Strategic Reserves Corporation (CORES).
This data trend is illustrated in a graph prepared by the specialized energy platform, depicting Morocco's gas import developments from January 2024 through July 2026.
Meanwhile, Morocco has ventured into exporting a rare gasoline shipment to Russia, a move occurring as Moscow implements extraordinary measures to bolster supply, including a fuel export ban and the importation of gasoline from neighboring countries. Information reveals that Russia received a maritime gasoline shipment of approximately 30,000 metric tons of AI-92 gasoline, dispatched from the Moroccan port of Tangier, with Lukoil managing its delivery to the Russian market, as reported by Reuters.
The tanker, flying the Panamanian flag, loaded the shipment in mid-July and began offloading it at the Murmansk port located in the Arctic region. Data from the St. Petersburg International Commodity Exchange (SPIMEX) indicates that AI-92 gasoline is scheduled for delivery via rail from the Kola station, which services Murmansk, as part of the local market distribution. Experts suggest that this gasoline export from Morocco does not signify a shift towards becoming a primary fuel supplier but is likely a result of surplus stocks or re-exported shipments amid ongoing commercial collaboration between the two nations in the energy sector.
It is important to note that Morocco relies entirely on imports for its petroleum product needs, with the average imports increasing by 18% year-on-year, reaching 287,000 barrels per day in the first quarter of 2026, compared to 243,000 barrels per day during the same period in 2025.
As reported by attaqa.net.
