Vivo Energy y Chariot gestionan parte del yacimiento gasista de Anchois en Marruecos

Following the discovery of Morocco's wealth in its Anchois waters, US-based African-focused transitional energy company Chariot has become the main local supplier of the natural gas, owning 75% of the drilling operations of the Larache wells under the Lixus Offshore licence.

Months later, the energy group made public its agreement with the British Vivo Energy, a pan-African oil company with a long and strong presence on the continent due to its exclusive ownership to market Shell products in the area and, especially, in the Kingdom, managing more than 400 service stations. The agreement aims to develop a natural gas business in Morocco through the long-term sale of part of the Anchois project and thus achieve self-sufficiency in the near future. The alliance between the two companies will result in the creation of an intermediate company in which they will have joint ownership of the distribution, transportation and purchase of liquefied natural gas.

An alliance that has ambitious plans for the future, according to Chariot's CEO: "It is a great joy for us to partner with a company like Vivo Energy to develop and facilitate a long-term global gas supply that will meet the current demand in Morocco". In addition, Vivo Energy CEO Stan Mittelman also aims to provide a greener and more sustainable energy source for end customers.

The Anchois project covers a depth area from the African coast to 850 metres and will provide more than 100 million cubic metres per year in industrial markets, with production and sales starting in early 2024. In order to achieve these ambitions, the Vivo Energy and Chariot partnership sets as its main objectives to create a strong natural gas market in Morocco with industrial customers through a marketing strategy and a less carbon-dependent economy; to develop a joint midstream company for the purchase, distribution and transportation of gas; and to implement a long-term sales agreement for the gas production from the Anchois project.

Vivo Energy's long experience in the Kingdom and its knowledge of the latest gas technologies will boost this gas project and encourage further development of the country's infrastructure, putting it in a good position internationally. This would notably benefit Morocco, which could become the main supplier of gas in Africa and supply it to Europe, which, due to the war in Ukraine, has seen its supply reduced. Moreover, Spain has become more dependent on Moroccan gas by freezing its trade relations with Algeria, which used to supply it with natural gas.