Total Sees Mozambique Gas Project Proceeding Despite Virus, Unrest
Northern Mozambique has been hit by a jihadist insurgency since 2017 that has killed more than 1,000 people and complicated the country's plans to develop its offshore gas reserves
AFP
June 20, 2020, 06:12 IST
Total sees Mozambique gas project proceeding despite virus, unrestPalma: French oil giant Total will proceed with its $23 billion gas project in northern Mozambique despite uncertainties caused by the coronavirus pandemic and militant attacks on nearby villages, a senior company official said on Friday.
Northern Mozambique has been hit by a jihadist insurgency since 2017 that has killed more than 1,000 people and complicated the country's plans to develop its offshore gas reserves.
Nearly 100 workers at Total's LNG site have been infected by the new coronavirus, forcing the partial shutdown of activities for two months as 5,000 workers went into quarantine.
"The first case of COVID-19 on our site was diagnosed on April 1 and in total 96 workers were infected, of which 92 are fully recovered, only four are still in treatment," Ronan Bescond, Total's General Director in Mozambique told reporters on a visit to the gas site.
He said health authorities declared the site under control for the virus on May 27. Workers were being mobilised to bring operations back up to speed.
"By next September we hope to reach the levels we were at before," Bescond said, adding the project should come on stream in mid-2024 as scheduled.
Mozambican development depends heavily on the exploration and export of natural gas deposits concentrated in northern Cabo Delgado province near the border with Tanzania.
ExxonMobil and Italy's ENI are also operating in the region with overall deposits estimated at some 5,000 billion cubic metres (175,000 billion feet).
"We are working with the government to ensure the security of the site and people," said Ronan. He indicated that although security was an issue "it does not directly affect the company."
The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Ernesto Max Tonela, said he expected the project, which at its peak is set to provide work for more than 14,000 Mozambicans, to contribute some $50 million in tax revenue.
"This is a very important project and the Government is doing everything to ensure its success," added Tonela.
AFP
June 20, 2020, 06:12 IST
Total sees Mozambique gas project proceeding despite virus, unrestPalma: French oil giant Total will proceed with its $23 billion gas project in northern Mozambique despite uncertainties caused by the coronavirus pandemic and militant attacks on nearby villages, a senior company official said on Friday.
Northern Mozambique has been hit by a jihadist insurgency since 2017 that has killed more than 1,000 people and complicated the country's plans to develop its offshore gas reserves.
Nearly 100 workers at Total's LNG site have been infected by the new coronavirus, forcing the partial shutdown of activities for two months as 5,000 workers went into quarantine.
"The first case of COVID-19 on our site was diagnosed on April 1 and in total 96 workers were infected, of which 92 are fully recovered, only four are still in treatment," Ronan Bescond, Total's General Director in Mozambique told reporters on a visit to the gas site.
He said health authorities declared the site under control for the virus on May 27. Workers were being mobilised to bring operations back up to speed.
"By next September we hope to reach the levels we were at before," Bescond said, adding the project should come on stream in mid-2024 as scheduled.
Mozambican development depends heavily on the exploration and export of natural gas deposits concentrated in northern Cabo Delgado province near the border with Tanzania.
ExxonMobil and Italy's ENI are also operating in the region with overall deposits estimated at some 5,000 billion cubic metres (175,000 billion feet).
"We are working with the government to ensure the security of the site and people," said Ronan. He indicated that although security was an issue "it does not directly affect the company."
The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Ernesto Max Tonela, said he expected the project, which at its peak is set to provide work for more than 14,000 Mozambicans, to contribute some $50 million in tax revenue.
"This is a very important project and the Government is doing everything to ensure its success," added Tonela.
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