Mozambique: Total keen on continuing with gas project despite insurgency
‘How Total plans to protects its $15bn major gas project’ 7 January 2021
Despite the armed insurgency that has been plaguing Mozambique since 2017, Total intends to continue its major gas project there. It trusts the authorities to ensure its safety, in return for a solid financial contribution. Since 2017, an armed insurgency has been targeting the central government in Maputo in the Cabo Delgado province, where most of the major gas discoveries have been made in recent years. The insurgency is led by al-Shabab, a group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic state in 2019 and who is increasing attacks in this predominantly Muslim region. On 12 August, the coastal town of Mocimboa da Praia temporarily fell into their hands following intense fighting against the regular army. This port, used by the oil companies and their subcontractors, is located 80 km south of the Afungi Peninsula. It houses the facilities of the liquefied natural gas project – Mozambique LNG – led by Total, which took over from Anadarko in September 2019.
…Mozambique LNG will enable Total to considerably increase the gas proportion of its hydrocarbon production on the continent, which is currently rather low – around 25% – and allow it to also take advantage of a dynamic Asian LNG market, accessible from the east of the continent. “Security issues are being discussed with the authorities, notably the Ministries of Defence, Interior and Energy. Total does not use private armed security companies,” says Nicolas Terraz, the head of the exploration-production branch in sub-Saharan Africa, who follows the situation in Cabo Delgado daily and says the facility is currently safe.
…“Each Mozambican military or police officer assigned to the protection of the facility receives VPSHR (Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights) training. Total is particularly vigilant about the proper application of these principles, and this subject is regularly raised with the authorities,” says Terraz. Total also works with several private security companies whose personnel are unarmed. In August, the group had contracts in Mozambique with the British security consultancy firms Blue Mountain and Control Risks, as well as with the global security giants GardaWorld (Canadian), G4S (British), and the Mozambican Arkhe Risk Solutions.