TotalEnergies Restarts Pipelay for Mozambique's $20 Billion LNG Project

en.Wedoany.com Reported - In early September, the pipelay barge Stingray arrived in Palma Bay in northern Mozambique and began nearshore pipeline installation for the Mozambique LNG project. Under the project schedule, the vessel will participate in approximately 17.7 kilometers of nearshore pipeline works, including the installation of 5 pipelines connecting the Area 1 offshore gas field to the Afungi onshore LNG facility; subsequent deepwater installation is planned to commence in the second quarter of 2027.

Mozambique LNG fully resumed onshore and offshore construction activities on January 29, 2026. The project consortium had previously lifted the force majeure status in effect since 2021 on November 7, 2025. As of the end of January this year, the project had remobilized more than 4,000 workers, of whom over 3,000 are Mozambican nationals.

The project develops the Golfinho and Atum gas fields in Mozambique Offshore Area 1 and involves the construction of two onshore LNG liquefaction trains at Afungi, with a combined design capacity of 13.1 million tons per year. TotalEnergies EP Mozambique Area 1 holds a 26.5% interest in the project and serves as operator. Other partners include Mitsui E&P Mozambique Area1, ENH Rovuma Área Um, ONGC Videsh Rovuma, Beas Rovuma Energy Mozambique, BPRL Ventures Mozambique, and PTTEP Mozambique Area 1.

The project reached its final investment decision in June 2019. In April 2021, due to the security situation in northern Mozambique, TotalEnergies evacuated personnel from the Afungi project site and declared force majeure. In November 2025, the project consortium lifted force majeure; construction fully resumed in January 2026, with onshore Afungi facilities and offshore works currently progressing simultaneously.

Following completion of the nearshore works in Palma Bay undertaken by the Stingray, the project plans to proceed with the deepwater offshore connection works between Area 1 and Afungi in the second quarter of 2027. The project targets first LNG production in 2029