Morocco's Energy Minister, Leila Benali, has announced the imminent launch of a tender process for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal near Nador.

This move is part of the country's strategy to diversify its energy mix and reduce reliance on coal, according to a report by Reuters.

Within the next few days, Morocco will issue an expression of interest for the development of the first phase of the natural gas terminal in Nador, as stated by Benali to parliament members.

The initiative aligns with Morocco's broader energy strategy, which includes increasing renewable energy capacity to 52% of total installed capacity by 2030, up from 45%.

The planned LNG terminal will connect to an existing pipeline that currently enables Morocco to import 500 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas from Spanish terminals.

The infrastructure aims to support industrial zones near Kenitra and Mohammedia, although specific details have not been disclosed.

The terminal will feature a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) at the Nador West Med port, which is under construction.

The ministry, however, has not responded to requests for comment, the report said.

Morocco's demand for natural gas is projected to rise to eight billion cubic metres (bcm) by 2027, a significant increase from the current 1bcm, as per ministry estimates.

On the same day, Morocco's electricity utility revealed a plan for 2025–30 to boost its electricity capacity by 15GW, with 13GW coming from renewable sources.

This expansion, which will cost around Dh120bn ($13bn), aims to build on the current renewable energy capacity of 5.5GW.

In a related development, Chariot commenced drilling operations at the Anchois East well, now named Anchois-3, off the coast of Morocco last August.

Anchois-3 is a multi-objective well with four operational phases including an initial pilot hole to assess the Anchois Footwall prospect and a side-track to evaluate the discovered gas sands in the Anchois field.