In Mozambique, Sasol is currently reviewing the possibility of constructing a pipeline to connect the liquid processing facility (LPF) on land to a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit off the coast of Inhambane province.The aim of this investment is to diversify outflow alternatives as it exports the natural gas it has been extracting from the Pande and Temane wells since 2004 to South Africa through a 900 km gas pipeline.

The South African petrochemical group has contracted the transnational Environmental Resources Management and Mozambican-based Impacto, to carry out the environmental impact study which is expected to be presented and subject to public debate this month in Inhassoro and Maputo.

In addition to this project, Sasol is intends to search for more hydrocarbons in Inhambane, where it started a drilling programme under a shared production contract signed with the Mozambican authorities in January.That same month, the government also approved the contract’s development plan.

The shared production contract’s first development phase is estimated to require investment of about $1.4 billion from the South African group, Macauhub reports.

Anita Fatunji