Joint venture submits Rovuma LNG phase 1 development plan

US-energy giant ExxonMobil said the Mozambique Rovuma venture has submitted the development plan to the government for the first phase of the Rovuma LNG export project.

The project will produce, liquefy and market natural gas from the Mamba fields located in the Area 4 block offshore Mozambique.

The plan details the proposed design and construction of two liquefied natural gas trains which will each produce 7.6 million tons of LNG per year, ExxonMobil said in a statement.

ExxonMobil will lead the construction and operation of natural gas liquefaction and related facilities on behalf of the joint venture, and Eni will lead the construction and operation of upstream facilities.

A final investment decision by the Area 4 joint venture parties is scheduled in 2019, with LNG production expected to commence in 2024.

Marketing activities are progressing, with negotiations on sales and purchase agreements underway, targeting completion in parallel with the development plan approval process, the statement reads.

Rovuma LNG is operated by Mozambique Rovuma Venture, a joint venture owned by ExxonMobil, Eni and CNPC, which holds a 70 percent interest in the Area 4 concession alongside its partners Galp, KOGAS and Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos E.P. (ENH), each of which hold a 10 percent interest.