Moroccan oil strategy to consolidate oil production and exploration, official
Morocco, Economics, 5/6/2004

The national oil strategy aims at consolidating oil production and exploration in Morocco, said the Director General of the national Hydrocarbons and Mining Office (ONHYM).

Amina Benkhedra told the Moroccan radio this strategy, launched in 2000 under instructions of King Mohammed VI, encourages partnership as it aims to draw a maximum of national and foreign investments. She added that the new law on Hydrocarbons, enacted in 2000, offers an "encouraging framework" for oil companies.

This statement was made following a work session chaired Tuesday by King Mohammed VI to discuss the general energy situation and development prospects of infrastructures in terms of safety and supply of oil products. The king issued instructions to conduct actions aiming at guaranteeing the supply in the best conditions and preventing industrial and ecological hazards.

ONHYM chief pointed out that in order to achieve this aim, it is crucial to promote professionalism and expertise of the personnel in the oil industry by training and employing young talents.

Benkhedra said the generalization of new information technologies and the setting up of high-quality databanks is also essential in this new strategy because it "would allow us to present good studies to partners and all companies that are interested" in this realm in Morocco where 17 international companies are currently operating.

On his part, Energy and Mining Minister, Mohammed Boutaleb, said the national oil strategy is meant to manage safety reserves in an organized and rational manner.

He told the national TV "TVM," the national strategy is based on the modernization of refineries' equipment and the improvement of products' quality while reducing harmful emissions.

He recalled in this connection that national consumption of oil products has currently reached 6 million tons.

This strategy, he added, is also meant to reinforce handling capacities in ports to diversify supply sources and allow a better regional repartition and the increase of stock of strategic safety.

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