(Ecofin Agency) - Ivory Coast, the West African country with a new oil and gas agenda, is predicted to face a shortage of natural gas of about 6,000 billion cubic feet over the period covering 2014-2030 which has been substituted since 2004 by resorting to the very expensive liquid fuel HVO, relates the newspaper Le Patriote on its website.

The situation could have serious consequences on the schedule for the creation of new power plants in this country where 93% of the natural gas is used to generate electricity while the remaining 7% goes to industries.

According to this newspaper, thermal electricity accounts for 80% of the energy mix in Ivory Coast. This is based on an address by the technical advisor to the general manager of Petroci, during the events marking the 40th anniversary of the national company Petroci held on the theme "What strategies for the sustainable development of a natural gas industry in Ivory Coast".

Eddi Abrogouah, technical advisor to the general manager, stressed the necessity for the country to secure the supply in electrical energy and to diversify the production mix for electricity.

This would happen through a reduction in the contribution of thermal energy production in years to come. A decrease from 80% to less than 50% has been proposed, we learn.