A view from the ground along the proposed Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) route

Abstract

The proposed Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) has been conceived to transport gas from the Niger delta in Nigeria, across Niger and Algeria to supply Europe as it reduces its dependence on Russian gas while transitioning to lower carbon energy. Natural gas is a key component of several European countries' total energy consumption and the push to diversify the provenance of their gas supplies would reduce market risks associated with the proposed TSGP. Technical risks to the pipeline's success can also be substantially mitigated through engineering studies before the final investment decision is made. This commentary makes the case that beyond these latter risk categories, there would be residual risks to the TSGP's success that are non-market and nontechnical in nature. It then highlights some of these residual risks and proposes potential mitigation strategies.