France became Algeria's biggest LNG buyer in October despite the feud

Paris and Algiers may barely be on speaking terms, but the gas is still flowing. In October, France became the number one buyer of Algerian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the world.

What happened?

Algerian LNG exports to France rose 30% in October compared with September, reaching 296,000 tonnes. That is also 84% more than the 161,000 tonnes shipped in October 2025, according to a report by the specialist platform Attaqa.

Crude oil follows the same pattern. French purchases of Algerian crude rose by more than 160% in a single month, the same report says.

Why now?

French press reports say France is under pressure on fuel markets, with social protests continuing in Paris. Authorities reportedly sent an urgent request to Sonatrach (Algeria's state energy group) for extra, immediate cargoes of LNG and crude before winter. Paris is also trying to diversify its energy partners, including in the Gulf.

Geography helps. Tankers cross the Mediterranean and reach French ports within a few days.

There is a ceiling, though. Sonatrach's contracts with its other international customers are the main factor limiting how much more it can send to France right now.

Over the first ten months of 2026, Algerian LNG sent to France totalled about 1.99 million tonnes, almost the same as the 2 million tonnes a year earlier. Over the same period, France's total LNG purchases on international markets fell from 18.4 to 15.6 million tonnes.

What was the row about?

Relations hit an unprecedented low at the end of July 2024, when the Élysée (the French presidency) recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. Algeria recalled its ambassador from Paris. Old disputes over colonial history, the Algerian community in France, irregular migration and Algerian opponents living in France resurfaced.

In November 2024, the arrest of Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in Algiers deepened the crisis. Early this year, the two countries' interior ministers exchanged visits to rebuild ties through security cooperation in the Sahel and the Mediterranean, but with little visible result.

What's next?

Some observers say the energy link could open the door to a thaw, if economic closeness spreads to diplomacy. That is a forecast, not a fact.

Algeria's weight as a supplier grew after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It reaches Europe through the Medgaz pipeline to Spain and the Transmed line to Italy via Tunisia. The Maghreb-Europe pipeline stopped in November 2021, when Algeria did not renew its operating agreement.