The debate on energy security in Europe has previously centred on northern Europe’s dependence on Russian gas and overlooked southern Europe’s high dependence on Algerian gas. But that is about to change.

The north African country is a significant gas supplier to Italy, Spain, France, Portugal and Turkey. It will become even more important when two new pipelines – one to Spain and France and the other to Italy – are completed over the next 18 months.

Once the pipelines are operational, Sonatrach, Algeria’s state-owned oil and gas company, will for the first time start marketing gas in southern Europe rather than just supplying it. ... Read full article