Total committed to Mozambique gas project

MAPUTO — Energy major Total on Friday said it remained committed to a Mozambique liquefied natural gas project on the country's remote northern coast despite deadly militant insurgent attacks.

Total will become the operator of the $25 billion Rovuma LNG Project whose construction began on August 5 in the Afungi Peninsula.

The company is also set to acquire US energy giant Anadarko's assets in Algeria, Ghana, Mozambique and South Africa, strengthening Total's position in Africa.

But the area where the project is located has been targeted by jihadists since October 2017, claiming more than 300 lives.

Attackers in February launched an assault on a convoy of vehicles from an Anadarko contractor, killing one worker and injuring others. 

This led to the suspension of operations for a few months, with activities only resuming after the government announced the deployment of armed forces.

Several hundred suspected attackers have been arrested, according to authorities, but sporadic assaults continue.

On Friday Total's CEO Patrick Pouyanne reaffirmed Total's commitment to the LNG project saying it "is a unique asset which perfectly fits our strategy and our skills”.

"Please be assured of the commitment of Total to bring the best of our human, technical and financial capacities to further strengthen the project execution... in the interests of all those involved, including the government and people of Mozambique," he said in a statement.

The project is expected to be transformational for Mozambique, creating an estimated 5,000 direct jobs and 45,000 indirect jobs.

The country's gas deposits are estimated at 5,000 billion cubic metres and would make Mozambique a major exporter of liquefied natural gas.

The use of natural gas is on the rise globally as countries struggle to meet energy demands and shift away from using coal.