During a meeting with representatives of the private sector, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy, António Manda, emphasized the importance of directing part of the resources from natural gas exploration projects in the Rovuma basin to meet the needs of the domestic market. This measure is particularly important given the plans under discussion to build a second floating hydrocarbon extraction platform.
Although the Coral South project, which until now has been responsible for exploration in the region, has focused mainly on exports, Manda argued in favor of allocating resources to the development of local industrial projects, using gas as an essential raw material. “In addition to its role in generating energy, natural gas can be used in the production of various products, such as ammonia, urea and methanol, boosting sectors such as agriculture, mining, industry and transportation,” said the secretary.
Considering gas reserves as a potential driver for energy generation projects, Manda stressed the importance of tackling the challenges of national electrification, especially in a context of energy transition. The diversification of the energy matrix, he said, is urgent and crucial to guarantee the country’s sustainability, efficiency and energy security.
Rudêncio Morais, executive director for Research and Production at Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH), highlighted the positive impact of the Coral Sul project on the development of the national energy matrix. Since November 2022, the project has carried out 58 export shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG), with 18 of them taking place this year alone, boosting the country’s energy sector.
