In 2006 we acquired an operator's share in Area 4, in the offshore basin of Rovuma, where in 2011 and 2014 we discovered supergiant resources of natural gas in the fields Coral, Mamba and Agulha, estimated to hold 2,400 billion cubic metres of gas. Coral South is the first deep-water gas development project in Mozambique. At the fifth round of bidding, Eni strengthened its presence in the country by acquiring the offshore licence A5-A, effective from January 2019. Eni has a 34% operator's share in the block. In May 2019, we also got exploration and development rights to the offshore blocks A5-B, Z5-C and Z5-D, in the deep waters of the Angoche and Zambezi basins, with a share of 10%.
In May 2019, the Mozambique Government approved the Rovuma LNG project development plan for the production, liquefaction and marketing of natural gas from three Mamba complex fields located in Area 4, two of which straddle with Area 1. We plan to develop a part of these reserves with an independent but coordinated plan with Total, the operator of the Area 1, to which a part of the non-straddling reserves will be added. Finally, we will build two onshore trains powered by 24 subsea wells for the processing and liquefaction of gas, and the storage and export of LNG with a total capacity of approximately 7.6 million tonnes a year each. Activities for the marketing of LNG are expected to start-up in 2024.
The development activities of Area 4 offshore (Eni’s interest 25%) concerned the Coral
South gas project, operated by Eni, and the gas discoveries of Mamba Complex where Eni is expected to coordinate the upstream development and production phase and ExxonMobil the construction and operation phase of natural gas liquefaction facilities onshore.
The sanctioned Coral South project includes the construction, installation and commissioning and of an FPSO vessel linked to six subsea gas producing wells, where the gas will undergo treatment, liquefaction, storage and export, with a capacity of approximately 3.4 mmtonnes/y of LNG. The LNG produced will be sold by the Area 4 Concessionaires to BP under a long-term contract for a period of twenty years, with an option for an additional ten-year term. The project has reached a progress of more than 80% and the production start-up is expected in 2022.
Within the Mamba Complex discoveries, the Rovuma LNG project provides for the development of the straddled reserves of Area 1 according to its independent industrial plan, coordinated with the operator of Area 1 (Total). The development project will include also a part of non-straddled reserves. The project provides the construction of two onshore LNG trains with capacity of approximately 7.6 mmtonnes/y each, fed by 24 subsea wells and facilities for storing and exporting LNG. In 2019, the plan of development (POD) was approved by the relevant Authorities. The Area 4 operators progressed development activities towards a final investment decision (FID).
