LNG

One of the world’s main liquefied natural gas projects, Mozambique LNG, is threatened with a long-term delay because of growing terrorist attacks by Islamist groups that have led to urgent travel warnings by nations like the US and the UK and with France now stating that a large-scale “humanitarian crisis” could develop.

US LNG equipment-maker and provider Air Products posted a rise of 7 percent in fiscal full-year net income to $1.93 billion as it was awarded three major LNG contracts for plants in Mozambique in southeast Africa, Qatar and Algeria.

Australian engineering company Worley said it was awarded two master service agreements by French major Total to provide specialised services for the Mozambique LNG export project at Pemba on the northern coast of the southeast African nation.

“Under the MSAs, Worley will provide in-and-out of country services, including engineering, consulting and specialist engineering for delivery of onshore and offshore (subsea) facilities,” said Worley.

“The services will support the development of the new LNG facility,” the company added.

Worley said the work would be under its local Mozambique operational division with support from Worley’s global businesses, including the consultancy subsidiary Advisian. 

Syndey-based Worley has already supported the LNG development, located on the Afungi peninsula in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, since natural gas was first discovered there in 2010. 

Analysts said Worley was a highly experienced LNG and natural gas contractor, having played a leading role in the build-out of Australia's liquefaction plants.

“We are pleased to continue providing services to the LNG development and to support one of Africa’s largest projects,” said Andrew Wood, Chief Executive of Worley.

“Through the MSAs, we will help Total and its partners in the Mozambique LNG Project meet the world’s changing energy needs,” added Wood.

The French company has already said it planned to expand its Mozambique venture with up to two additional processing Trains, taking the total up to four Trains.

Total is looking  at studies for Train 3 and Train 4 because of the huge feed-gas resources offshore Mozambique.

Total confirmed in October 2019 that it paid $3.9 billion to close the acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum’s 26.5 percent operated interest in the Mozambique LNG project from Anadarko purchaser Occidental Petroleum.

Total had previously reached a binding agreement with Occidental to buy Anadarko’s assets in Africa, including Mozambique, Algeria, Ghana and South Africa.

Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and Chief Executive of Total, has said that Mozambique LNG was a one-of-a-kind asset that perfectly fitted with the company strategy.

Total plans to work on the strong foundations established by the previous operator Anadarko and its partners.

The project includes the development of the Golfinho and Atum fields located within offshore Area 1 of the Rovuma Basin. 

The plant site has already been cleared near the coastal town of Pemba.

The Rovuma Area 1 contains more than 60 trillion cubic feet of gas resources of which 36 Tcf could be developed for a four-Train plant.

The Area 1 shareholder line-up is now as follows: Total operates Mozambique LNG with a 26.5 percent participating interest alongside Mozambican state-owned energy company ENH (15 percent). 

Japan’s Mitsui owns 20 percent, India’s ONGC Videsh, Bharat  PetroResources and Beas Rovuma Energy each hold 10 percent and Thailand’s PTTEP 8.5 percent.

The Total-led venture is Mozambique’s first onshore LNG plant.

Italian energy company Eni is leading a project for the Coral South floating LNG project from Area 4 resources in the Rovuma Basin. 

It is also planning an onshore venture with ExxonMobil and other stakeholders.

The final investment decision on the Mozambique LNG project was announced by Anadarko in June 2019 and the venture is expected to come into production by the start of 2025.

French energy major Total said it planned to expand its Mozambique liquefied natural gas project with up to two additional processing Trains, taking the total up to four Trains.

The Mozambique government said US energy giant Exxon Mobil and partners such as PetroChina have finalized their investment plan for the southeast African nation’s Mamba LNG project backed by offshore Rovuma Basin resources and would hold a signing ceremony on October 8 in the capital Maputo.

Occidental Petroleum Corp. recorded a fall in second-quarter profits as it advanced with its takeover of Anadarko Petroleum whose shareholders are scheduled to vote on the deal on August 8, deciding the final destination of a major stake in Mozambique LNG.

TechnipFMC, the Franco-US energy and liquefied natural gas engineering company, said it was awarded a number of subsea contracts by Anadarko Petroleum, the licence holder of the Area 1 Rovuma Basin feed-gas resources for the Mozambique onshore LNG project.

The TechnipFMC contracts focus on the development of reserves in the Golfinho-Atum fields offshore the southeast African nation.

TechnipFMC was awarded a major contract for the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of the subsea hardware system through its wholly owned United Arab Emirates-incorporated subsidiary, Technip Middle East FZCO.

The company gave no specifics on the value of the Mozambique contract save to say it was worth more than $1 billion.

The onshore Mozambique project will have phase one output of almost 12.9 million tonnes per annum of LNG from two liquefaction Trains, as well as all necessary associated infrastructure, storage tanks and export jetty facilities.

Anadarko is proceeding with its Mozambique LNG commitments after agreeing earlier in 2019 to be taken over by US peer Occidental Petroleum, while its LNG assets will be sold to French major Total.

The TechnipFMC award followed the granting in May 2019 of the onshore engineering, procurement and construction contract valued at around $6 billion to a consortium comprising Saipem of Italy and its main partner McDermott International of the US, while Chiyoda Corp. of Japan will fill an advisory role.

The TechnipFMC subsea work will be carried out in cooperation with offshore vessel and platform owner and consortium partner Van Oord of the Netherlands and its Mideast subsidiary in cooperation with another European-based subcontractor, Allseas.

In support of these awards, TechnipFMC is increasing its presence in Mozambique and has had a new office in the capital Maputo since February 2019.

TechnipFMC has also been awarded separate contracts under its wholly owned US incorporated subsidiary, FMC Technologies Inc., to provide subsea hardware in support of well construction.

“We are extremely pleased to have been selected for the majority of the Mozambique LNG subsea scope,” said Arnaud Pieton, President of the Subsea division at TechnipFMC.

“TechnipFMC will highlight our industry leading subsea capabilities to help maximize Anadarko’s overall project value,” added Pieton.

“This award is a testament of our 25-year partnership with Anadarko and will further expand our presence in Mozambique,” he said.

Anadarko is still operator of the Mozambique project until the Occidental deal is completed and has a 26.5 percent stake and operatorship of the Area 1 reserves that underpin the LNG venture.

Other shareholders in the Area 1 licence and LNG project include the Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co. and three Indian companies, Bharat Petro Resources, ONGC Videsh and Oil India Ltd., as well as Thailand’s national energy company PTTEP and the Mozambique state-owned oil and gas firm ENH.

Occidental Petroleum, the Texas-based company competing with Chevron Corp. to take over Anadarko Petroleum for around $55 billion including debt, has improved the structure of its offer and said it would sell Anadarko’s Mozambique LNG stake and other African assets to French major Total if its deal was accepted.

Occidental’s latest offer would amount to 78 percent cash and 22 percent in Occidental shares, rather than the previous 50-50 split.

Occidental is trying to persuade Anadarko shareholders to accept its offer rather than a merger agreement with Chevron, which is structured as a 75 percent stock and 25 percent cash deal.

“The revised offer creates immediate value for Anadarko shareholders and increases the chances of closing a deal,” said Occidental.

“In connection with Occidental’s proposal to acquire Anadarko, it has entered into a binding agreement to sell Anadarko’s Algeria, Ghana, Mozambique and South Africa assets to Total for $8.8Bln,” added the company.

“The sale is contingent upon Occidental entering into and completing its proposal to acquire Anadarko, and would be expected to close simultaneously or as soon as reasonably practicable afterwards,” stated Occidental.

Anadarko also issued a statement after the revised May 5 offer from Occidental when it referred to the still valid merger agreement with Chevron.

“In accordance with the terms of the Chevron Merger Agreement, and in consultation with its financial and legal advisors, Anadarko's board of directors will carefully review Occidental's Revised Proposal to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the company's stockholders,” said Anadarko.

Anadarko first announced on April 11 that it had received a takeover bid of $33Bln from Chevron, amounting to $50Bln if debt is included, and the signing of a formal merger agreement.

Anadarko, whose headquarters are near Houston, is being target because of its strength in US shale production, especially in the Delaware Basin of Texas and New Mexico. Its other main US assets are in Colorado and the Gulf of Mexico.

It also owns valuable assets in deep water oil and gas and LNG, including the onshore development in Mozambique.

Anadarko had said it was positioned to take a final investment decision on Mozambique LNG in the first half of this year.

The Anadarko-led Mozambique venture will be the African nation’s first onshore development, initially consisting of two liquefaction Trains with nameplate capacity of 12.9 million tonnes per annum.

Feed-gas would come from the Golfinho-Atum gas fields located within Anadarko’s offshore Area 1 licence of the Rovuma Basin. 

The Mozambique liquefaction plant is being built near the port of Pemba in the northeast Cabo Delgado Province.

Analysts said the revised terms and LNG accord with Total could now force Chevron to consider making an improved offer.

Analysts noted that Chevron is a substantial LNG player and operates two world-class plants in Western Australia and would fit with Anadarko’s development plans for Mozambique.

Occidental, a major North American chemicals manufacturer, has no LNG assets and is centred on US oil and gas as well as midstream, marketing and refining.

France’s Total is now hoping that the Occidental takeover bid for Anadarko is successful.

“If completed, the acquisition offers us the opportunity to acquire a world-class portfolio of assets in Africa, further enhancing our position as the leading IOC on the continent,” said Total Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne.

“We would be able to leverage our expertise in LNG by operating a major project in Mozambique and in Deepwater in Ghana and we would become operator of major Algerian oil assets where we are already a partner,” he explained.

“We would also be able to generate value through adding volumes to our growing LNG portfolio where we are already the second-largest private player,” added the CEO.

In South Africa, the exploration licences from Anadarko are close to Total’s recent Brulpadda discovery.

Chevron Corp., the second-largest US oil and gas company and a leading participant in the LNG market with two plants in Western Australia, has agreed a $50 billion deal to buy US energy company Anadarko Petroleum, one of America’s leading independent producers and a key stakeholder in Mozambique LNG assets.

US major ExxonMobil and Italian energy company Eni have submitted their development plan envisaging an initial two production Trains for the first phase of the onshore Mozambique LNG export project using feed-gas from the Rovuma Basin Area 4 offshore licence.