Tunis, July 4, 2009- Tunisia will double its gas imports from Algeria and will consequently increase its royalties for the gas transport on its territory of the Transmed gas pipeline (also known as the Mattei gas pipeline) which carries Algerian gas to Italy , said a government source in Tunis.
Imports of Algerian liquefied gas will increase from 150,000 to 300,000 par year following the signing of an agreement on Thursday between the Tunisian Minister of energy and his Algerian counterpart.
An agreement concluded between Algeria’s Sonatrach and the Tunisian Enterprize of petrol activities (ETAP) will boost Tunisia’s gas royalties from 6 to 7 billion cubic meters per year.
Algeria’s Minister of energy said that the agreement will enable Tunisia to cover its needs in gas, as well exporting part of it to Europe. He also expressed his country’s commitment to set up a Maghrebi electricity market which will aim at exchanging this type of energy at a lower cost.
On July 2, 2009, Tunisia and Algeria signed a number of agreements in the sector of energy aiming at strengthening energetic cooperation between the two countries.
The Tunisian section of the Transmed gas pipeline is 370 km long; it is owned by the Societe Tunisienne du gazoduc Trans- Tunisien and is run by Sergas.
The 155 km offshore section across the Channel of Sicily is operated by a joint venture (TMPC) between Algeria’s Sonatrach and Italy’s Eni.
Via [Tunisia Online News]
