BP and its partners have achieved the first production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, located offshore Mauritania and Senegal.
The midstream project is designed to produce up to 2.3 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG.
Production began following the commencement of gas flow from the project’s first phase on 31 December 2024.
Gas from offshore wells is directed to a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel as part of the commissioning process. Here, the gas undergoes treatment to remove condensate, water, and other impurities before being transported via subsea pipeline to a floating LNG (FLNG) vessel for liquefaction.
The GTA project involves gas extraction from wells located in water depths of up to 2,850m.
The FPSO vessel, positioned approximately 40km offshore, processes the gas before it is transferred to the FLNG vessel, situated around 10km from the FPSO.
The FLNG facility is responsible for liquefying the gas for storage and export. A portion of the LNG is allocated to meet the domestic energy requirements of Mauritania and Senegal.
BP operates the project with a 56% working interest, while its partners include Kosmos Energy with a 27% stake, PETROSEN holding 10%, and Société Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures (SMH) with 7%.
The final investment decision (FID) for the GTA project was reached in December 2018, setting in motion the development and construction phases that have now culminated in LNG production.
With gas now delivered to the FLNG vessel, the liquefaction process has commenced. This milestone enables Kosmos Energy to recognise its gas entitlement production from the project in its quarterly financial statements.
BP has also notified its offtaker, BP Gas Marketing, to arrange for an LNG carrier to lift the first LNG cargo later this quarter. The lifting of the initial cargo will mark the point at which Kosmos Energy begins to recognise revenue and generate cash flow from the project.
Kosmos Energy chairman and CEO Andrew Inglis said: “First LNG is another major milestone for Kosmos, the GTA partnership and the governments of Mauritania and Senegal. We are looking forward to the accelerated ramp-up of LNG production and the first LNG cargo lifting during the first quarter.”
