Morocco to shortlist 3 companies for LNG imports deal - minister

DUBAI, Oct (HKSE: 3366-OL.HK - news) 6 (Reuters) - Morocco expects to shortlist three companies for its new long-term contracts to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) within the next two weeks, the country's energy minister said on Tuesday.

Morocco is evaluating offers from Royal Dutch Shell (Xetra: R6C1.DE - news) as well as French, Spanish and American companies, and plans to import 2 million tonnes of LNG a year starting 2020 as part of the first phase of its LNG import plan, minister Abdelkader Amara told reporters in Dubai.

Morocco has launched an international tender seeking advisers for its plan to boost liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. The plan -- worth up to $4.6 billion -- includes the import of up to 7 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas by 2025, the construction of a jetty, terminal, pipelines and gas-fired power plants. (Reporting by Maha El Dahan; writing by Rania El Gamal, editing by Adrian Croft)