Gas Code, Law No. 2020-06

Country / jurisdiction: Senegal · Year: 2020 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

The Gas Code governs activities in the midstream and downstream gas sectors, including transportation, storage, processing, importation and exportation. This law covers not only the transportation and distribution of natural gas, but also that of LNG and CNG.

This legislation refers to an autonomous gas regulatory institution responsible for overseeing these operations. It shall conduct due licensing procedures and establish gas price structures based on provisions given by the prevailing legislation.  Furthermore, it has the authority to carry out inspections on facilities covered by this regulation and request related information from licensees. Decisions of this regulator are subject to the approval of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, which is also responsible for signing licenses, defining applicable standards and for policy implementation with regards to the mid- and downstream gas sector.

The Gas Code sets out various types of licences and concession contracts for the above-mentioned gas operations. All license and concession contract holders, as well as their sub-contractors, must abide by Senegalese regulations set out in Law No. 2019-4, pertaining to local content in the hydrocarbons sector. Moreover,  activities must be carried out in accordance with the legislation in force  and applicable international standards, particularly those relating to environmental protection, hygiene, health, safety and social aspects.

The Gas Code contains specific provisions that have an impact on methane emissions. In particular, the Gas Code stipulates that gas operations must be conducted in accordance with the environmental regulations in force (Article 22). The granting of a license for intermediate or downstream activities is subject to the completion of a prior environmental assessment (Article 14).

In addition, operators must take the necessary measures to prevent and combat environmental pollution by avoiding the release of any pollutants into the environment (Article 22). They must also ensure the rehabilitation of the site at the end of operations (Articles 22 and 32). A provision must be paid during operations to ensure the rehabilitation and restoration of the site at the end of operations (Article 32).

Official source: https://energie-mines.gouv.sn/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Loi-n%C2%B02020-06-du-07-fevrier-2020-portant-Code-gazier.pdf