TOTALENERGIES SAYS MOZAMBIQUE GAS PROJECT TO RESUME WHEN ’SECURITY’ ALLOWS

TotalEnergies said Wednesday that its giant gas project in Mozambique, suspended since 2021 after a jihadist attack, would resume only when “peace and security” return to the Cabo Delgado region. The French company was responding to a Financial Times report saying it had again “delayed” a restart at the site over security and political risks in the southern African nation. By AFP

“The priority is to restore peace and security in the Cabo Delgado and the lifting of the force majeure,” TotalEnergies said in a statement to AFP, without confirming the FT report.

CEO Patrick Pouyanne had indicated in October that its goal to begin gas production in 2029 was based on resuming work on the project by “the end of this year”, noting “progress on the ground” in terms of security.

He also said he was planning to meet with the president of Mozambique after elections in October, a meeting that has not yet happened.

On January 15, Mozambique’s new leader Daniel Chapo was inaugurated after weeks of deadly protests by opponents who say the vote was rigged.

TotalEnergies has a 26.5 percent stake in the $20 billion Mozambique LNG project, which aims to export gas mainly to clients in Asia.

But the Cabo Delgado province is struggling against an insurgency waged by militants linked to the Islamic State group in which thousands of people have been killed.

In November, French newspaper Le Monde reported that TotalEnergies was aware of accusations of abuses committed by soldiers charged with protecting Mozambique LNG, citing on-site reports by teams at the firm’s subsidiary.

TotalEnergies responded by saying it had reached an agreement with Mozambique authorities to provide “security and human rights training” for the forces protecting the site.