La stratégie pétrolière de la France en Algérie, 1962-1971

Cette thèse porte sur les relations franco-algériennes en matière d’hydrocarbure pendant la période 1962-1971. Huit ans après le début de la guerre, l’Algérie accède à l’indépendance. Le pétrole saharien, une des raisons du prolongement du conflit, appartient désormais à la jeune nation. Toutefois, les sociétés pétrolières françaises qui disposent d’un quasi-monopole sur l’industrie des hydrocarbures sauvegardent leurs nombreux avantages accordés à l’époque coloniale. Or, les accords d’Évian de mars 1962 qui garantissent aux sociétés françaises ces avantages sont remis en cause par les dirigeants du Front de libération nationale réunis en congrès quelques mois plus tard à Tripoli. En effet, la nationalisation des hydrocarbures figure parmi les objectifs du parti au pouvoir. L’adoption de la voie socialiste et le départ de la majorité de la population européenne d’Algérie compromettent la stratégie française qui vise à sauvegarder le plus longtemps possible une source de pétrole payable en franc. La thèse répond à la question suivante : quelles stratégies la France va-t- elle adopter pour réussir sa politique de désengagement progressif ? Pour répondre à cette problématique, cette recherche est fondée sur une démarche chronologique. Cette approche permet de mettre en valeur l’évolution des relations pétrolières franco-algériennes de 1962 à 1971. Les sources sont essentiellement les archives du groupe pétrolier TOTAL et celles du Quai d’Orsay. À ces documents qui nous renseignent sur le point de vue français s’ajoutent les archives personnelles du ministre algérien de l’Industrie et de l’Énergie, Belaïd Abdesselam. La thèse démontre qu’à partir du début des années 1960, l’objectif principal de la France est de diversifier ses sources d’approvisionnement et d’atténuer sa dépendance vis-à-vis de l’Algérie. Les ressources en provenance du Sahara sont donc destinées à servir ce projet. En outre, la thèse atteste que les sociétés pétrolières françaises s’investissent le moins possible en Algérie à partir de la seconde moitié des années 1960. Finalement, elle met en évidence les limites de la stratégie pétrolière française de diversification. After an eight-year war, Algeria gained full independence. Saharan oil, a major reason for the extension of the war, became the property of the new independent republic. On the other hand, French petroleum companies, which had a quasi-monopoly over the oil industry, kept their former privileges. Nevertheless, the Evian Accords of March 1962, which guaranteed these privileges, were challenged by the new Algerian authorities meeting in Tripoli, Libya, a few months later. This was in line with the will of the Algerian governing party to nationalize the gas and oil industry. Finally the adoption of the socialist path by the new leadership, in addition to the departure of the majority of the European population, compromised the French strategy to keep control of Saharan supplies, the more so that they were payable in French francs. This thesis asks the following question: what strategies did France adopt to safeguard its interests in anticipation of the nationalization of the oil industry it considered inevitable? A chronological approach makes it possible to show the evolution of Franco-Algerian relation in the field of oil between 1962 and 1971. Sources are mainly the archives of the French petroleum company TOTAL and the French Foreign Affairs ministry. For the Algerian side, it makes uses of the personal archives of the Algerian minister of industry and energy at the time, Abdesselam Belaïd. The dissertation demonstrates that, starting from the beginning of 1960’s, the main goal of France was to diversify its sources of supply and to diminish its dependency towards Algerian oil. Saharan resources were part of the strategy. In addition, this research shows that, starting in the middle of the 1960’s, French petroleum companies diminished their level of engagement in Algeria to the minimum. Finally, the thesis highlights the limits of the French strategy of diversification of its oil supply.

Keyphrases: France, Algérie, Nationalisation, Diversification, France, Pétrole, Diversification, Algéria, Petroleum, Nationalization