Mozambique begins commercial gas production in Indian Ocean

Mozambique’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy has announced that the Coral South project has begun pumping natural gas into its floating platform in Area Four of the Rovuma Basin, off the coast of the northern province of Cabo Delgado, thus paving the way for the first export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) later this year, Report informs via The Herald.

The Coral South floating platform was built in a South Korean shipyard and towed to Mozambican waters in March 2022.

Six undersea natural gas wells were connected to the platform in May. On board the platform, the gas will be liquefied and then pumped into the vessels that will ship it to the consumer markets.

Cited in his Ministry’s statement, the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Carlos Zacarias, said that achieving this latest landmark puts Mozambique on the map of countries producing LNG.

“This will have a significant impact on revenue, and is a contribution to global energy security”, he added.

Now that the gas is entering the floating platform, it is expected that the first shipment of Mozambican LNG will take place in the second half of 2022.

Work on building the platform began in the Korean shipyard in September 2018, and it was concluded, on schedule, in 38 months, allowing the platform to set off for Mozambique in November 2021.

The platform has the capacity to liquefy 3,4 million tonnes of natural gas a year. British Petroleum (BP) has signed a contract to purchase the entire production from the platform. The gas comes from the Coral reservoir where there are estimated reserves of 450 billion cubic metres.

The platform is 432 metres long and 66 metres wide. It weighs around 220,000 tonnes and has the capacity to accommodate up to 350 people in its eight-story Living Quarter module.