No difficulty in butane gas supply to Moroccan market, minister

Moroccan energy minister, Mohamed Boutaleb said on Thursday there are absolutely no difficulties in the supply of butane gas to the market, denying the rumors in this respect, describing them as baseless.

Boutaleb told the national TVM channel he was surprised by the rumors alleging a butane gas supply problem, stressing there were no difficulties in providing the market with the commodity.

On his part, chairman of the Energy federation, Abdallah Alaoui said there is no "shortage of butane gas" in Morocco and that like all hydrocarbons the commodity is "available in large amounts."

Abdallah Alaoui told "Aujourd'hui le Maroc" daily that at no time there were a lack of supply of butane gas, explaining that a problem between a company and the compensation fund created this groundless controversy.

He insisted that the problem lies in past-due payment of the compensation fund caused by the recent hike of oil prices.

The Energy Federation Chairman said the issue will be settled as soon as oil prices go to normal, as predicted by specialists, which will ease the strong pressure on the fund.

Alaoui said public authorities are aware of the dysfunction and are poised to solve the problem, adding butane gas prices should be reviewed for they are very low in Morocco at 40 dhs (US$ 4) for 12 kilos, while the same amount costs 70 dhs (US $7) in other Mediterranean countries.