The first phase of the Greater Tourte Ameyme (GTA) LNG project, located on Mauritania’s maritime border with Senegal, is on track to begin production by the end of 2024. Ahead of this milestone, Mauritania’s Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mohamed Ould Khaled, participated in the African Energy Week (AEW): Investing in African Energy conference, taking place in Cape Town from 4-8 November. During the event, Minister Khaled will share his views on the project’s impact on the Mauritanian economy, as well as the array of investment opportunities emerging across the country’s gas value chain.
Mohammed Ould Khaled
As the country’s first LNG development, GTA promises new opportunities for job creation and revenue generation. The first phase of the project will produce 2.3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) with the second phase increasing production capacity to more than 5 mtpa. To date, the first phase is 90% complete and the FPSO will arrive at the project site in June 2024. AEW: At Invest in African Energy 2024, Minister Khaled is expected to give an update on the project.
Phase 1 of the GTA development is just one of several projects planned for Mauritania. Given its strategic proximity to high-demand markets in Europe and abundant offshore resources, the country is rapidly gaining traction as an attractive market to invest in. Capitalizing on this attraction, the country is currently strengthening partnerships with international stakeholders to fast-track project development and unlock the full potential of its oil, gas and renewable energy resources. In June 2024, Mauritania signed an agreement with data and analytics company TGS (now PGS) to acquire subsurface data for oil and gas exploration across the onshore and offshore basins. In parallel, oil and gas company Tullow Oil is conducting exploration activities offshore Mauritania under a multi-year contract.
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Additionally, Mauritania announced in May 2024 that it is seeking a new partner for the development of the Bir Allah gas field following the expiration of its contract with bp. With an estimated natural gas reserve of 60 trillion cubic feet, Bir Allah represents a major opportunity for the sustained growth of Mauritania’s gas industry. To further strengthen its energy portfolio, Mauritania signed an exploration and production agreement with the Taka Arabia gas consortium in April 2024 for the development of the Banda gas field. With production expected to begin in 2027, this $1.3 billion project will further consolidate Mauritania’s position as a major gas producer. Amid these developments, AEW: Invest in African Energy will be an ideal platform for Minister Khaled to engage with global investors and sign strategic cooperation agreements to further develop the hydrocarbon sector.
Meanwhile, in addition to natural gas development, Mauritania, with a goal of producing 12.5 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2035, is also making great strides in clean energy, strengthening cooperation with global partners and positioning itself as a key investment destination through policy reforms. In September 2024, Mauritania approved a green hydrogen bill, paving the way for the development of wind and solar resources and the infrastructure needed to establish the country as a clean energy hub. The country’s growing portfolio of green hydrogen projects includes the 30 GW Aman project led by CWP and the 10 GW Noor project led by Chariot. Minister Khaled’s participation in AEW: Invest in Energy in Africa will not only help attract new investments into Mauritania’s growing green hydrogen energy industry, but will also allow the Minister to provide an update on the projects.
“Mauritania is taking the right approach to developing its energy sector. By prioritizing investments in LNG and pushing forward with both data collection and exploration, the country is laying the foundations for accelerated gas development. At the same time, Mauritania is advancing projects across the green hydrogen sector, recognizing the important role this resource plays in strengthening its energy security,” said African Energy Chamber President NJ Ayuk.
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