Tanzania taps Baker Botts to help with LNG talks

Tanzania has selected a UK unit of law firm Baker Botts to advise the country in talks with international energy companies over a giant LNG export project.

State-run Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation said it signed the consultancy deal with Baker Botts (UK) on Tuesday.

The country is looking to sign a host government agreement with oil and gas firms for the planned LNG project in Lindi, including Shell and Equinor.

Energy minister January Makamba said in November that Tanzania had resumed negotiations with energy firms for the $30 billion Tanzania LNG project.

He said then that the companies include Shell, Equinor, ExxonMobil, Pavilion Energy, and Medco Energi.

Earlier last year, Shell and Equinor called on Tanzania to support the stalled LNG export project.

The move came just weeks after President Samia Suluhu Hassan took office.

Shell’s chief executive Ben van Beurden also held a virtual bilateral meeting with Samia Suluhu Hassan to discuss the LNG project.

Equinor and Shell are both operators of large gas discoveries off the country’s coast.

The Norwegian firm and partner ExxonMobil discovered more than 20 trillion cubic feet of gas in Block 2 offshore Tanzania. Also, Shell says it has about 16 Tcf of natural gas in Block 1 and 4.

Equinor also said in January it had decided to write down the book value of the Tanzania LNG project on the company’s balance sheet by $982 million. The firm started negotiations with the Tanzania government back in 2018 to set out the commercial and fiscal framework for the LNG project.

It previously said that the Block 2 gas would go to the liquefaction plant in Lindi with a potential capacity of 7.5 million tonnes per year.

Most Popular

Cheniere takes FID on two more Corpus Christi LNG trains

US LNG exporting giant Cheniere has made a positive final investment decision to build two more midscale trains at its Corpus Christi LNG plant in Texas. The company has also issued full notice to proceed to Bechtel.

Golar progresses FLNG growth plans

Golar LNG said it had signed a final engineering study to confirm EPC price and delivery for a 5 mtpa MKIII FLNG.

Italian FSRU operator launches small-scale LNG service

Italy’s OLT Offshore LNG Toscana, the operator of the FSRU Toscana, has launched its small-scale liquefied natural gas service, enabling small vessels to load LNG at the FSRU.

More News Like This

Nordsol in bio-LNG production milestone

Nordsol said that the three operational bio-LNG plants in the Netherlands and the UK, which utilize its technology, have collectively surpassed the 10,000-ton mark in bio-LNG production.

Shell’s LNG Canada achieves first LNG

LNG giant Shell has started production at the first liquefaction train at its LNG Canada export terminal in Kitimat, an LNG Canada spokesperson told LNG Prime on Sunday.

Shell’s LNG Canada nears first LNG

LNG giant Shell is nearing the launch of the first liquefaction train at its LNG Canada export terminal in Kitimat.

Norway’s Equinor names new gas and power head

Norwegian energy firm and LNG terminal operator Equinor has named Helle Ostergaard Kristiansen as the new head of its gas and power business.