(Ecofin Agency) - Eni has announced that it is expecting to receive a Plan for Development and Operation approval very soon on its offshore natural gas development project in Mozambique.

Luca Bertelli (photo), Eni’s Chief Exploration Officer, disclosed this on Tuesday during a conference in Houston. Bertelli added that will move forward with the phase 1 of the development after the approval has been granted.

The development plan for the gas find in Mozambique’s Rovuma basin was officially presented to the authorities at the end of 2014.

Under the original plan, the production of LNG was estimated to begin in 2019, but bearing in mind that the final investment decision has been hindered, there is no official verification on the expected date of the first production.

Meanwhile in Egypt, Bertelli has also confirmed that the government has given the go ahead for Eni to improve the Zohr field, discovered in the Mediterranean Sea in August 2015. This is going to be a speedy development as Eni plans to commence the production of gas by the end of 2017, Offshore Energy Today reports

Anita Fatunji