Global engineering, procurement and construction company EPCM announced the launch of the Energy Service Zone Nouakchott project during a session dedicated to Mauritania at the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2023 conference this week. The development project aims to provide infrastructure to key players in the hydrocarbon sector of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania while encouraging foreign direct investment in the country.
The project was launched by Alexandra Gazendam, Director of EPCM, during a discussion on “Focus on Mauritania: Road Show on Exploration and Opportunities”, and follows EPCM’s announcement of the presentation of concept of the project to the Ministry of Petroleum, Mines and Energy seven months earlier.
Gazendam explained that the “Ministry of Petroleum, Mines and Energy will act as the owner of the project,” and that, “In terms of timeline, the government intends to launch the procurement process early of 2024, and we invite all interested investors. »
“We have talked a lot about the enormous potential and exceptional qualities of Mauritania, and the time has come to ensure that we have basic infrastructure to enable the potential of this country,” Gazendam said, adding: “We consider this project as a catalyst for foreign direct investment and an opportunity to strengthen the local private sector.”
The session itself served as a bridge between government decision-makers, data experts and industry leaders, providing a platform for speakers to exchange ideas, share information and define the future of exploration and energy development in Mauritania.
“We are in the context of energy transition, and we plan to explore the potential that our basin offers to make Mauritania a preferred investment destination,” declared Moustapha Bechir, director general of hydrocarbons at the Ministry of Oil, of Mines and Energy of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, adding: “We have created our hydrocarbons code, established a local content code formally in force from next year, and we are also revising the hydrocarbons code. “investment. We are continuing the policy by promoting data and promoting the poles, especially in Nouakchott, in an area dedicated to energy.”
With proven gas reserves of 80 trillion cubic feet (tcf) and an estimated production of 10 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year, development of the BirAllah conventional gas field, off the coast of Mauritania, is poised. to transform the energy landscape of the West African country. Meanwhile, straddling the maritime border between Senegal and Mauritania, Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) – which is expected to begin commercial production in 2024 – is estimated to contain up to 30 tcf of recoverable gas resources, establishing the basin as a world-class gas province.
“Geology doesn’t know a concept of geographic boundaries,” said Elisabeth Gillbard, a geologist for energy data and analytics company TGS. “We know we have an incredible source system across the entire northern part of the MSGBC basin. Off the coast of Mauritania alone there have been 11 major discoveries and almost every well contains oil or gas. It’s a system very active source.”
During the session, Chems Dine Sow Deina, Director of Exploration at the Société Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures (SMH), spoke about the importance of exploration in Mauritania’s offshore basin, highlighting the petroleum systems of the region and geological gas deposits. “Exploration must continue because it is a very stable basin, and if there is a discovery it will probably be significant,” Deina said, highlighting the GTA, BirAllah and Banda fields as some of the country’s major discoveries in recent years. last years.
In addition to the massive GTA and BirAllah projects, gas developments in the Banda and Pelican prospects – each comprising 1.2 tcf of gas reserves – pave the way for increased power generation opportunities, with a particular emphasis on electrification in project development plans. Thus, the potential of smaller gas fields off the coast of Mauritania has been highlighted as an exceptional opportunity for the development of an energy hub in West Africa.
“There will be a deficit in electricity production in the coming years, so the intention here is to develop these small fields for small gas-to-power projects,” said Elhanefy Eybih, director of operations and exploitation. to SMH, adding: “The intention is also to have the capacity to develop other opportunities such as chemicals, small-scale LNG or competitive natural gas.”
