Oil and gas major, BP, have begun flowing gas from wells at the GTA Phase 1 liquefied natural gas (LNG) project to its floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels in two African countries, Senegal and Mauritius.
This was announced by BP in a press release on Thursday and obtained by Energy in Africa.
According to the statement, GTA, offshore Mauritania and Senegal, is one of Africa’s deepest offshore ventures, with gas deposits found in water as deep as 2,850 meters, and once fully commissioned, GTA Phase 1 is expected to produce around 2.3 million tonnes of LNG per year.
Gas from GTA Phase 1 is being introduced to the GTA FPSO approximately 40 kilometers offshore, where water, condensate, and impurities are removed.
Prior to being transported to LNG carriers for export, it will first be transported by pipeline to a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel ten kilometers offshore, where it will undergo cryogenically cooled, liquefied, and stored conditions.
A portion of the gas will be used to help the two host nations fulfill their rising energy needs, the company said.
Commenting on first gas production at GTA, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew G. Inglis said:
“Achieving first gas sets the stage for us to ramp up production and reach the ~90,000 boepd production target we set two years ago. With our key growth projects largely delivered and capex falling, Kosmos is well positioned going into 2025. The company remains focused on disciplined capital allocation and the generation of free cash flow that enables us to pay down debt, reduce leverage to less than 1.5x, and enhance the financial resilience of the company.”
“This is a fantastic landmark for this important megaproject. First gas flow is a material example of supporting the global energy demands of today and reiterates our commitment to help Mauritania and Senegal develop their natural resources,” said Gordon Birrell, EVP production & operations.
Senegal’s steps towards shared gas production
Senegal, which just joined the club of oil producers with the announcement on Tuesday by Australian company Woodside Energy that production had begun in the West African nation’s first offshore project, entered the league of nations that produce oil.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye vowed in a New Year’s speech late Tuesday to guarantee the “optimal and transparent exploitation of oil and gas resources for the benefit of the national economy and current and future generations.”.
Birame Souleye Diop, the Senegalese Minister of Energy, Petroleum, and Mines, highlighted the importance of this accomplishment for Senegal.
According to him, the project reflects the two countries’ common goal of making the GTA project a model for energy cooperation.
“The energy future of our region looks promising,” he said.
Mauritius becomes a gas-producing nation
On their part, the Minister of Energy, Mohamed Ould Khaled, also celebrated the milestone of the first natural gas well at the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) field, marking a decisive step in the development of this major cross-border energy project.
He said the first drop of gas was produced that same day.
He then stated that the production teams were in charge of controlling pressure at the pre-treatment plants during the start-up phase of production. In the first quarter of 2025, the first gas molecules for export are expected to be liquefied.
Production is projected to be 2.5 million tons annually during this first phase. Production is expected to double to 5 million tons annually in the second phase, and by the third phase, it is expected to reach 10 million tons annually. He said.
About the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) offshore natural gas field
GTA, offshore Mauritania and Senegal, is jointly developed by British energy giant BP, American company Kosmos Energy, Mauritanian hydrocarbons company SMH, and Senegal’s state-owned Petrosen.
BP so far has boosted GTA construction activities, saying it has generated more than 3,000 local jobs, and the project has engaged with around 300 local companies across Mauritania and Senegal.
