Rovuma LNG Project: Mozambican President Chapo Hints on New Commencement Date

Daniel Chapo, the incumbent president of Mozambique, stated that he expected the construction of the Rovuma liquefied natural gas (LNG) project to begin within 12 to 18 months. 

According to reports seen by AEP, he made the move public on Thursday, 29 January. The project is operated by ExxonMobil, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies. 

Chapo’s disclosure follows as TotalEnergies and its strategic partners announced at the same time the official restart of activities for the Mozambique LNG project. 

This pause is after a suspension amounting to about five years, owing to insecurity in the northern parts of the country where the project is situated. 

Mozambican authorities also said that several agreements and concessions governing the gas projects had been renegotiated with the operators. Improved security conditions have allowed the companies involved to gradually resume construction work.

Situated in Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique, the initiative is intended to produce LNG for export. It was paused since 2020 following a deepening crisis in the region’s security situation, which led partners to suspend moves toward a final investment decision (FID).

The Rovuma LNG project involves the development of gas resources discovered in the Rovuma basin, off the coast of northern Mozambique. It is part of Area 4, operated by a joint venture between ExxonMobil, Eni and China National Petroleum Corporation, which holds 70%. Galp Energia, Korea Gas Corporation and the national company Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos each hold 10%.

The project is designed for an initial capacity of around 18 million tonnes of LNG per year. The front-end engineering design (FEED) contract was awarded in 2024 to Technip Energies and JGC Corporation. The final investment decision is expected in 2026.