Page 6 - AfrOil Week 18 2021

AfrOil COMMENTARY AfrOil

Tanzanian troops have already been stationed However, Suluhu has already shown herself
near the border, which lies just north of the willing to apply herself to reconciling old quar-
areas where the Islamist group is active. More- rels. Earlier this week, for instance, she travelled
over, Tanzanian authorities are not averse to to Nairobi and met with Kenyan President
involvement in the matter, and they are keen Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss bilateral trade and
to clear obstacles to the Tanzania LNG project, co-operation. The meeting, which lasted for sev-
which will involve Royal Dutch Shell (UK/Neth- eral hours, resulted in the signing of more than
erlands) and Equinor (Norway). a dozen memoranda of understanding (MoU),
one of which envisions the construction of a
Overcoming old quarrels joint gas pipeline. As such, it served to reduce
Reaching an agreement on this front would the some of the tension that built up between the
probably not be easy. Relations between Tan- two countries during Magufuli’s time in office.
zania and Mozambique have not always been As of press time, it was not clear whether
smooth, and politicians might argue that ini- Mozambique’s government was contemplating
tiatives that benefit Mozambique, Total and any sort of arrangement with Tanzania along
the other LNG projects might hurt Tanzania, these lines. But it ought to consider doing so,
Equinor and Shell (and vice versa). regardless of what SADC does next. ™

PIPELINES & TRANSPORT
Tema LNG now set to receive first cargo by

the end of May

GHANA TEMA LNG Terminal Co. (TLTC), the owner the first LNG cargo would arrive by the end of
of the Tema LNG terminal offshore Ghana, is March.
reportedly on track to receive its first cargo Tema LNG will consist of a floating regasifi-
within the next few weeks. cation unit (FRU) and a separate floating storage
A spokesman for TLTC, which is owned unit (FSU). The FRU, a vessel known as the Tor-
by UK-based Helios Investment Partners and man, is already in place. The FSU, a vessel known
Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers, told as the Vasant, is currently en route to the port of
S&P Global Platts earlier this week that the ter- Tema. Both vessels will be moored at a new jetty
minal would receive its first cargo before the end built by West Africa Gas. The Torman is capable
of May. The facility is “operationally ready,” he of handling 1.7mn tonnes per year (tpy) of LNG,
said, so the shipment can proceed once Ghana and the Vasant will boost the facility’s total stor-
National Petroleum Co. (GNPC) and Royal age capacity to 145,000-160,000 cubic metres.
Dutch Shell (UK/Netherlands) strike an agree- Shell will use the terminal to supply LNG
ment on the delivery date. from Nigeria to GNPC under a long-term off-
TLTC had said earlier this year that it hoped take contract.

The Tema LNG terminal consists of FRU and FSU vessels (Image: Helios Investment Partners)

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 18 05•May•2021