Chevron, QP Renew Ties with Morocco

Senior executives from Chevron and Qatar Petroleum (QP) last week met Morocco's newly-reappointed energy minister Aziz Rabbah. 

Chevron Morocco managing director Carl Atallah was quoted saying that Morocco had provided “favourable conditions” to explore its three operated blocks offshore Agadir: Cap Cantin Deep Offshore, Cap Walidia Deep Offshore and Cap Ghir Deep Offshore. Chevron operates the blocks with a 45% interest, while QP’s stake is 30% and Moroccan state ONHYM 25%; the blocks were awarded to Chevron in 2013 and QP farmed in last year.

The ministry and state-owned producer ONHYM also invited QP to consider investing in oil and gas storage in Morocco, according to a ministry statement about the May 15 meeting. Chevron did not respond to an enquiry from NGW about its current activity offshore. 

Chevron's three operated blocks offshore Morocco (Map source: Chevron)

Political stalemate since October

King Mohammed VI sacked Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane in March 2017 for failing to form a new coalition government after months of negotiations with other parties. Instead, he appointed PJD politician and former foreign minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani to take over in early April. His new cabinet included Rabbah (also PJD), reappointed energy, mines and sustainable development minister.

Morocco’s indigenous gas production is negligible, but the UK-based onshore explorer Sound Energy has had some success appraising the Tendrara and Meridja finds and exploring its Sidi Moktar block. Larger firms like Chevron and Eni but also smaller UK Chariot have offshore acreage.

Algeria currently supplies almost all of Morocco’s modest gas consumption; it is delivered through one of two pipes that carry Algerian gas to Spain.

Zainab Calcuttawala