Morocco to Increase Domestic Petroleum Production with New Refinery

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Morocco imports 26% and 48% of its petroleum product requirements from Iran and Saudi Arabia, respectively. The balance of requirements is supplied through agreements signed with Iraq and Russia. Total imports fulfill 96% of the country's energy needs.

Moroccan refiner Société Anonyme Marocaine de l'Industrie de Raffinage SA (SAMIR) (Casablanca) has a production capacity of 125,000 barrels per day (BBL/d). The local demand for petroleum products in Morocco is currently about 214,000 BBL/d and is expected to increase to 240,000 BBL/d by the end of 2012.

Due to the increase in Moroccan local demand and the country's location on the Atlantic coast, it has attracted investors interested in building export refineries. Abu Dhabi-based International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) plans to build a 250,000-BBL/d refinery with an investment of $5 billion in the Jorf Lasfar area in Morocco.

SAMIR signed a $54 million contract with The Tekfen Construction and Installation Company for the building and installation works of the topping unit for the refinery. Construction of the refinery is planned to begin in April 2011.

Morocco is currently issuing many licenses for exploring and prospecting oil and gas in country, with 28 international companies currently involved.

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