Morocco currently imports 90% of its energy, and rising fossil fuel prices are increasing the calls to reopen the kingdom’s sole oil refinery. The Société Anonyme Marocaine de l’Industrie du Raffinage (SAMIR) opened in 1959 as a joint venture between the Moroccan state and Italian energy giant ENI.
Where is Morocco’s sole oil refinery?
Morocco’s sole oil refinery in Mohammedia, near Casablanca, on June 22, 2019. Three years after it was liquidated for racking up billions of euros worth of debt, Morocco’s sole oil refinery and one-time economic flagship is struggling to attract a buyer and survive. – AFP via Getty Images)
Why is Samir 1 a major oil refinery in Morocco?
Created in 1959, the Moroccan Refinery Samir 1 facilitated the production of diesel and encouraged domestic production. The refinery is located near the oil port of Mohammedia, in the most significant industrial fuel zone in Morocco. The establishment in this location was the result of social, economic, technical factors and restrictions.
What is oil refining in Morocco?
Source: Interregional Input-Output Table for Morocco, 2013. The oil refining sector is based on the treatment of crude oil through processes to obtain finished products, such as gasoline, 50 ppm diesel, fuels, lubricants, bitumens, and intermediate products (naphtha, distillate) meeting Moroccan standards.