TotalEnergies is strengthening the security infrastructure of the Mozambique LNG project, developed by Area 1 in Afungi, Palma District, Cabo Delgado Province, by implementing an integrated system that includes 120 surveillance cameras, 28 mini-substations, approximately 30 kilometers of fiber-optic cable, and a power ring.
According to Lusa, the initiative is part of a series of measures aimed at strengthening the protection of the high-security fence surrounding the facilities of the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) megaproject, in a province that has been affected since 2017 by an armed insurgency that has caused more than 6,600 deaths and displaced approximately 1.1 million people, according to data cited in the project.
According to information contained in a request for proposals issued by the Area 1 consortium, the security system will consist of 24/7 video surveillance, perimeter lighting, access control, and an integrated electronic security management platform designed to monitor the entire industrial complex.
The project calls for the installation of approximately 120 surveillance cameras, including about 100 outdoor units, connected to a local network dedicated to the closed-circuit television (CCTV) system. The infrastructure will also feature a communications system based on a single-mode fiber-optic cable approximately 30 kilometers long.
The project also includes the construction of 28 mini-substations, an 11-kilovolt power loop approximately 30 kilometers long, and the equipment necessary to ensure power and communications for the security system. The work also includes trenching, foundation construction, engineering, equipment installation, pre-commissioning, and commissioning of the infrastructure.
To move forward with the plan, TotalEnergies has issued a call for expressions of interest aimed at companies specializing in the supply, installation, and maintenance of the complete surveillance and security system, allowing for the subcontracting of part of the work under the responsibility of the prime contractor.
The reinforcement of security infrastructure comes as the Mozambique LNG project resumes, a process that began in January of this year following its suspension in April 2021, in the wake of the armed attacks on the town of Palma. With the resumption of activities, TotalEnergies maintains access restrictions to the site, allowing entry only by air or sea due to security requirements.
In March of this year, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné stated in Brussels that the security conditions necessary for the project’s continuation had been met. “Security is good today. We will continue to work,” he declared, assuring that the project “will never stop again.”
The formal resumption of construction was marked on January 29, during a visit by the President of the Republic, Daniel Chapo, to the site, accompanied by Patrick Pouyanné. On that occasion, the head of state described the project’s resumption as a sign of “resilience, courage, and determination,” highlighting the importance of the investment for the Mozambican economy.
Valued at approximately $20 billion, the Mozambique LNG project is expected to produce 13 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas per year (mtpa) from reserves in the Rovuma Basin, off the coast of Cabo Delgado.
Area 1 is one of three major LNG projects approved for the development of the Rovuma Basin’s reserves. The other project under development is led by ExxonMobil, with a projected capacity of 18 mtpa and an estimated investment of $30 billion, though it is still awaiting a final investment decision.
Joining these is the Coral Sul project, operated by Italy’s Eni, which began production in 2022 using a floating platform with a capacity of approximately 3.4 million metric tons of LNG per year. Production is expected to double with the Coral Norte platform, starting in 2028.
Source: Diário Económico
