- TotalEnergies has lifted force majeure on its $20 billion Mozambique LNG project but said full operations will only resume once the government approves an updated budget and development schedule.
The French energy company, which operates and holds a leading 26.5% stake in the project, halted work and evacuated personnel in April 2021 amid escalating militant attacks in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province. Contracts were suspended, and the site was placed under force majeure as insurgent violence spread near the project area.
“Before fully relaunching the project, Mozambique’s Council of Ministers needs to approve an addendum to the plan of development,” TotalEnergies said in a statement.
The company now expects the 13 million tonne-per-year project to begin production in 2029—around five years later than originally planned.
The insurgency in Cabo Delgado, linked to Islamic State, has entered its ninth year, continuing to threaten stability in the region. Mozambique’s armed forces have struggled to contain the violence, relying heavily since 2021 on Rwandan troops deployed under an informal arrangement between the two governments.
That agreement was formalised in August 2025 with the signing of a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which legally recognises the Rwandan presence. However, attacks continue, and observers warn that the arrangement entrenches Mozambique’s dependence on foreign military support. Read more
The four-year suspension and expanded security operations have driven project costs up by at least $4 billion, according to Indian shareholder Bharat Petroleum. Shareholders have been negotiating with the Mozambique government over how to allocate the additional expenses.
Currently, around 40% of the project is complete. TotalEnergies said remaining work will proceed in “containment mode,” with personnel transported to the site exclusively by air or sea for security reasons.
The project is jointly owned by TotalEnergies (26.5%), Mitsui (20%), ENH (15%), Bharat Petroleum (10%), Oil India (10%), ONGC Videsh (10%), and Thailand’s PTTEP (8.5%).
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
