Rovuma LNG Design Targets Capacity of 18.6 Million Tons a Year in Mozambique
Key Facts
Mozambique’s Rovuma LNG project is targeting production of 18.6 million tons a year, according to a design published by ExxonMobil, while reports that Eni plans to exit the project could not be verified. No reliable publicly accessible page was available to confirm the report by Upstream, and available sources did not confirm an agreement between the companies to split development of the offshore gas discoveries. The project page describes an onshore liquefaction plant at Afungi and electric liquefaction trains. ExxonMobil says the technology could cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40% compared with conventional large-scale liquefaction trains, based on the project’s front-end engineering design. Reports of a change in Eni’s role or a shift to floating liquefaction therefore remain unconfirmed in the available information.
The first phase design is based on developing 18 offshore wells and connecting them to a network of subsea pipelines and manifolds. In an announcement dated September 10, 2026, ExxonMobil said the contractor selection would support detailed planning and definition of the scope of offshore development work in Area 4. The selection included a Saipem and Jan De Nul consortium for engineering, procurement, construction and installation work on the offshore portion, along with technical and logistical services. The company said Area 4 partners were moving toward a final investment decision during 2026. That decision would mark a key milestone for the project: ExxonMobil said construction would follow it and the first LNG cargo was scheduled for delivery on time.
ExxonMobil estimated that the project would generate about $6 billion in economic activity in Mozambique during its execution and provide opportunities for about 7,500 Mozambicans during construction. The company’s estimates place the project among investments with local impact extending beyond gas production. However, these figures relate to the execution phase and are not realized economic outcomes. In August 2026, ExxonMobil announced that Area 4 partners had awarded preliminary contracts worth about $1.1 billion for long-lead offshore equipment and early site work. The contracts were described as pre-investment work, preceding the final decision and not, on their own, establishing that the project had entered the construction phase.
ExxonMobil says it will lead construction and operation of the Rovuma project, while Eni continues to lead operations at the Coral floating LNG project. The company’s page also says its indirect stake in Area 4 is 25% and that it is the designated operator of Rovuma. Eni, meanwhile, describes Coral South as the first project approved by Area 4 partners to develop gas resources discovered offshore Mozambique in the Rovuma Basin. The project converts gas into LNG on a floating unit for export, according to the company. This provides context for the differences between the projects’ models and the companies’ roles, but does not itself confirm that Eni will exit Rovuma.
ExxonMobil is targeting a 2030 start-up for Rovuma, according to the project page as published at the time of review. Reaching the planned capacity requires 12 electric liquefaction trains, each producing 1.55 million tons a year, alongside 18 initial offshore wells reaching depths of up to 1,700 meters. In September, the company said the selection of offshore contractors positioned the partners to begin construction after the final investment decision and deliver the first cargo on schedule. According to the September 10 announcement, the final decision was targeted during 2026, while the available information did not confirm that it had been made. Nor did the available information include a statement from Eni or ExxonMobil confirming a plan for Eni to exit the project.