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Mozambique LNG will target the offshore Area 1 block (Image: Anadarko)

TotalEnergies hopes to resume work on

$20bn Mozambique LNG project this year

MOZAMBIQUE PATRICK Pouyanné, the CEO of TotalEnergies sold to gas workers.
(France), has said he hopes to see work on the The Mozambique LNG consortium and its
$20bn Mozambique LNG project resume before contractors and sub-contractors had hoped to
the end of this year. create thousands of new jobs in Cabo Delgado,
Speaking to reporters during a visit to especially in the vicinity of the LNG plant and
Maputo on January 31, Pouyanné stressed that onshore facilities on the Afungi Peninsula.
the French major was still waiting for security But hundreds of thousands of the province’s
conditions to improve in the northern prov- residents became refugees last year because
ince of Cabo Delgado, where the Mozambique of ASWJ offensives, and some towns in Cabo
LNG consortium has already begun building Delgado are still virtually abandoned, with no
its onshore complex. “When I will see that life access to public services.
is back to normality, which means having some Pouyanné said on January 31 that he would
state services and population, then the project like to visit some of the hardest hit sites, includ-
can restart,” Reuters quoted him as saying. “My ing the port of Mocimboa da Praia and Palma,
objective is that we will restart in 2022.” the town closest to the LNG plant, the next time
He stopped short of committing to any spe- he visited Mozambique. He did not say when
cific dates, saying that more work needed to be such a visit might occur.
done to consolidate the gains that have been Work at the construction site has been
made in areas seized last March by members of suspended since late March of last year, when
Ahlu Sunna Wa-Jamo (ASWJ), a separatist Isla- TotalEnergies declared force majeure in
mist group with ties to Islamic State (Daesh). response to deteriorating security conditions in
But he also hailed the steps that have been taken Cabo Delgado.
to date, saying: “A lot of progress has been done The French major is leading the Mozam-
and frankly in a very short period of time.” bique LNG consortium through its subsidiary
Pouyanné was likely referring to the ramp- Total E&P Mozambique Area 1, which holds a
down in fighting in Cabo Delgado. The insur- 26.5% stake. Meanwhile, remaining equity in
gency has abated since Mozambique accepted the project is split between two Japanese com-
help in the form of troop deployments from panies, Mitsui and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals
Rwanda and member states of the Southern National Corp. (JOGMEC), which have a com-
African Development Community (SADC). bined stake of 20%; Mozambique’s national
The TotalEnergies CEO was speaking after oil company (NOC) ENH, with 15%; Bharat
signing an agreement that will allow TotalEner- Petroleum (India), with 10%; ONGC Videsh Ltd
gies to provide 2,500 young Mozambicans with (OVL) (India), with 10%; Beas Rovuma Energy
training in skills that they can use to provide Mozambique (a 60:40 joint venture between
services for the Mozambique LNG project, such OVL and Oil India Ltd, or OIL), with 10%; and
as the growing of vegetables for food that can be PTTEP (Thailand), with 8.5%.

P14 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 05 02•February•2022