- Speaking on Monday during the Global Energy Alliance meeting in New York, on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, Mozambique’s President Daniel Chapo announced that the $7.2 billion Coral Norte natural gas project will be officially begin construction in the Rovuma Basin’s Area 4 next month.
Led by Italian energy giant Eni, Coral Norte is Mozambique’s second floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) initiative following Coral Sul, and is expected to produce 3.55 million metric tonnes of LNG annually over the next 30 years.
Coral Norte will replicate the Coral Sul model, drawing gas from the same reservoir estimated to hold between 450 and 500 billion cubic metres.
The new FLNG unit will be fed by six subsea wells and is expected to begin production in the second quarter of 2028.
The Coral Sul gas extraction and liquefaction platform is the first in deep water, and the first project of its kind developed in Africa.
Image credit: ENI
Eni, who has not confirmed the commencement of construction of Coral Norte, presented its “Juntos Crescemos 2024” this week, the second edition of its sustainability report in Mozambique. The presentation took place during the Mozambique Gas Summit & Exhibition, in Maputo, at the presence of its local stakeholders.
“This document stays as a testament to our commitment to the country, showing that success depends on everyone being onboard, from our personnel to the hosting communities and partners with whom we share our path. Over the years, our Coral South project has become a true floating school for a new generation of Mozambicans who are now sharing their expertise even within Eni’s operations abroad. At the same time, our targeted investments in health, education and other key areas, have promoted inclusive growth, ensuring that we grow together with the communities we serve”, said Marica Calabrese, Managing Director of Eni Rovuma Basin, at the report’s presentation ceremony.
The report outlines Eni’s journey toward sustainable growth in Mozambique, describing the company’s achievements and objectives. Along with Coral South project’s outstanding performance – the FLNG production reached 5 million tons of LNG in 2024 since startup in 2022 – the document describes the ongoing energy transition initiatives.
In 2024, Eni’s Great Limpopo Project secured Mozambique’s first REDD+ license; the project, spanning an area of 4,000,000 hectares of forest, is expected to benefit approximately 320,000 community members. Additionally, the company has expanded its clean cooking program, distributing more than 140,000 improved cookstoves to date, benefitting vulnerable people across the Maputo, Sofala, and Manica provinces. Eni has also launched the production of vegetable oil for Enilive biorefineries, creating new opportunities for farmers through its agri-feedstock project.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
