OIES Podcast – MENA and the challenges of the EU market and Green Deal

Podcasts - Oxford Institute for Energy Studies

In this latest OIES podcast from the Gas Programme, James Henderson talks to Mostefa Ouki about his latest paper on “Market and EU green regulation challenges for MENA’s gas exporters to Europe.” The podcast looks at the key challenges faced by MENA gas exporters as demand for gas in Europe goes into decline in response to the energy transition and the desire to improve energy security in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Initially MENA exporters have benefitted from the EU’s search for alternative sources of gas supply, but over the medium to longer term the EU’s plan to decrease gas demand and to tighten rule on environmental standards will undoubtedly affect the MENA countries. In particular, MENA countries will need to find an adequate response to new methane regulations and in general will be forced to focus more on their GHG footprint in order to ensure that their hydrocarbon exports are competitive in the EU market. Furthermore, they will also need to balance the future of natural gas exports with the potential to send hydrogen to the European market, although this option is very much for the long-term as little progress has been made to date.