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In a press release published on January 2, 2025, British Petroleum et Kosmos Energy announced that they had successfully transported the natural gas extracted from the field Large Turtle Ahmeyim (GTA). This offshore gas field, located on the border between Senegal and Mauritania, was officially inaugurated on December 31, 2024, with the opening of its first well.
During this first phase of exploitation, natural gas was extracted from underwater wells located in deep waters. This gas was successfully transported by underwater pipelines to a floating production, storage and unloading unit (FPSO) where it has undergone an initial treatment aimed at removing water, condensate and other impurities.
Discovered in 2015, the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim deposit contains 15 trillion cubic feet of natural gas (around 424 billion cubic meters). Located approximately 40 kilometers from the coast, in waters reaching 2,850 meters deep, this offshore field is among the most complex in the world. The technical challenges linked to this depth required specific adaptations for the successful installation of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) production platform.
After extraction and pre-treatment of the natural gas, the next phase of exploitation consists of transporting the gas via pipelines to the floating LNG ship. HIGH SCHOOLlocated about 10 kilometers where it will be cooled to a very low temperature (cryogenics) to be liquefied and temporarily stored before loading onto LNG carriers intended for export.
Arriving in early 2024, the natural gas liquefaction vessel, GIMI, owned and operated by Golar LNGunder a rental and operating contract (Lease and Operate Agreement) for a period of twenty years between British Petroleum and Golar LNG.
According to Kosmos Energy, this first flow of natural gas from the GTA field constitutes an important crossing point towards achieving the daily production objective of 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent. This increase in production will ensure the delivery of a first cargo of LNG from the first quarter of 2025, thus marking the start of the commercial production phase and generating the first revenues from this megaproject.
As a reminder, this liquefied natural gas (LNG) production project is carried out by a consortium led by British Petroleum, which holds a 56% stake. Kosmos Energy (27%), the Senegalese company PETROSEN (10%) and the Mauritanian company SMH (7%) complete the round table.
The development of the second phase of exploitation of this deposit will make it possible to increase annual production up to 5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas. However, several rumors are in the media regarding the intention of British Petroleum to abandon the development of this project due to the relatively high costs and the intention attributed to Mauritanian and Senegalese decision-makers to renegotiate the contracts.
Senegal: towards more transparency in the exploitation of hydrocarbons
In his New Year’s speech, the Senegalese president Bassirou Faye announced a reform of the Strategic Orientation Committee for Oil and Gas, in order to include more representatives of the opposition, civil society and experts. The objective is to guarantee transparent and sustainable exploitation of oil and gas resources for the benefit of all Senegalese as was promised during his electoral campaign.
With this objective, the Senegalese Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonkoappointed, last August, a commission whose mission was to reassess the contracts signed by Senegal in key sectors of the economy, notably hydrocarbons and mines. Although this is not a nationalization operation, this commission should examine the said conventions and verify their compliance in order to preserve the rights of Senegalese citizens.
In addition to the Sangomar oil field, whose exploitation began in 2024, Senegal has another larger natural gas deposit. These are the fields of Teranga and of Yakaar whose resources are estimated at nearly 25 trillion cubic feet (or approximately 707 billion cubic meters). The final investment decision for the development of these fields should be taken during this year, making it possible to envisage the start of production as early as 2026.
Mauritania: “gigantic” gas resources awaiting development
For its part, Mauritania has an even larger gas field, known as the gas field. Birallahwith reserves estimated at 50 trillion cubic feet (approximately 1.41 trillion cubic meters or 1.41 trillion cubic meters). However, its operation is currently on hold following the refusal of the Mauritanian government to renew the British Petroleum contract which requested a period of three years to carry out the feasibility study of this project.
While the Mauritanian government has decided to take its time to select the best operator for this mega-gas field, it has decided to entrust the exploitation of the gas field Banda (33 billion m³) to an Egyptian and Emirati consortium, previously successively abandoned by Tullow Oil et New Fortress Energy.
The imminent launch of the exploitation of natural gas from Grand Tortue Ahmeyim has revived hydrocarbon production in Mauritania, thus ending a period of inactivity following the cessation of production in 2017 in the oil field of What do you do?.
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