The total demand for natural gas decreased by 3% between 2022 and 2023, to stand at 4,706 kilotons of oil equivalent (ktoe), according to the Monthly Report on the Energy Situation of December 2023, published by the National Energy and Mines Observatory. The electricity production sector remains, by far, the largest consumer of natural gas, representing 72% of total demand in 2023. For end uses (excluding electricity production), demand for natural gas decreased by 6% to stand at 1,341 ktoe. Demand from medium and low pressure customers recorded a decrease of 2% and that of high pressure customers fell by 16%. The drop in demand from the electricity sector is due to the limited availability of natural gas and does not reflect demand of the electrical sector. The overall specific consumption of electricity production means (STEG + Independent Electricity Producers (IPP)) recorded a slight improvement of 1% between 2022 and 2023 to stand at 200 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe)/gigawatt hour (GWh ) Regarding A lgerian gas purchases, they increased by 1%, between 2022 and 2023, to stand at 2,395 ktoe. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse