The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Carlos Zacarias, on Thursday, August 29, expressed his optimism about the results of the oil surveys in an area formally awarded to the consortium led by the Italian multinational Eni, in partnership with the National Hydrocarbons Company (ENH).
“We are optimistic about the results of prospecting in the concession area,” said Zacarias after signing the concession contract for oil exploration and production in the Angoche sedimentary basin, located in northern Mozambique.
According to the Lusa news agency, the minister pointed out that the preliminary studies carried out so far in the Angoche sedimentary basin generate positive expectations for the operations that the consortium will carry out. He stressed that the determination of the commercial quantities of existing resources will depend on the quality of the complementary surveys to be conducted in Area A6-C, in Nampula province.
Zacarias called for the use of technologies that minimize environmental impact, allowing oil operations to coexist sustainably with other economic activities, such as fishing and tourism. He also stressed the importance of the consortium strictly complying with the work program established in the contracts, in accordance with the oil and environmental legislation in force.
The consortium’s operations, according to the minister, will generate jobs, social projects for local communities, business opportunities and revenue for the state. Eni’s director in Mozambique, Marica Calabrese, considered the concession to be an important milestone in the multinational’s presence in the country. “Eni believes strongly in this country. This will be the start of yet another success,” said Calabrese, recalling the company’s operations since 2006 in the Rovuma Basin.
The contracts signed are the result of the sixth tender for the concession of hydrocarbon exploration and production areas, launched in 2021. At the same time, the Rovuma LNG consortium, led by ExxonMobil, began the basic engineering phase in Area 4 of the Rovuma Basin, a crucial stage before the final investment decision.
Mozambique has the third largest natural gas reserves in Africa and currently has three development projects approved for the exploitation of the Rovuma Basin reserves, classified among the largest in the world.
