Eni is expected to choose a contractor for the building of a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel for the Rovuma Basin soon.The FLNG vessel is to be used for the export of gas to the global markets from Offshore Area 4 in the Rovuma Basin off the northern coast of Mozambique.

According to reports, a consortium which includes Technip, JGC and Samsung Heavy Industries might get the contract which is valued at $5.4 billion.The FLNG vessel will be constructed over the Coral gas field and process 3.4 million tonnes of natural gas annually. The Coral gas field is estimated to contain 16 trillion cubic feet of gas, sufficient to supply another FLNG, if the market conditions are unfavorable.

In February this year, the government of Mozambique gave the green light for the project and the Environmental Licence has been awarded. There is a possibility that Eni will make its final investment decision on the Coral field later this year.The Italian company has also discovered gas in the Mamba field which connects the Area 4 and the Area 1 operated by Anadarko.

In December 2015, the two companies signed a unitization agreement for the use of the discovered gas, which will be processed on the Afungi Peninsula in Palma district.Eni is expected to make its final investment decision on its Mamba field in 2017, Bernama news reports.

ENI operators the Offshore Area 4, which is estimated to hold 85 Tcf of gas.

Anita Fatunji