Latest news with #UTMOffshore
Zawya
14-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa's Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Growth Hinges on Investment, Strategic Partnerships
Accelerating Africa's liquefied natural gas (LNG) ambitions will depend on mobilizing risk-tolerant investment, building strong technical and commercial partnerships, and committing to local capacity-building, according to panelists at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum in Paris. Speaking during a discussion on monetizing African gas sponsored by Perenco, UTM Offshore Managing Director Julius Rone emphasized that LNG demand remains robust, but the missing piece is financing. 'Investment is required. The market is there. LNG is not going anywhere – global gas demand is increasing every year. Therefore, we need the right investors to enable us to monetize our gas.' The $5 billion UTM FLNG project offshore Nigeria is currently in its pre-construction phase. Rone emphasized that indigenous players like UTM Offshore are capable of forming the right partnerships to drive development, with plans to take FID in the coming months, move into the construction phase and expand the company's FLNG technologies beyond Nigeria into other African markets. Competitiveness Starts at the Wellhead For international players, the viability of LNG in Africa hinges on low-cost resources and predictable legal frameworks. Golar LNG's Chief Commercial Officer Federico Petersen noted that while Africa holds a geographic edge over the U.S. in terms of access to global markets, project economics must work from the start. 'In the U.S., both the liquefaction and transport sides are increasing – if Africa can beat the U.S. at the wellhead, then it can have competitive liquefaction and it is closer to Europe and Asia,' said Petersen. He added that technical capability and financial strength are key to delivering projects at scale, along with speed and access to low-cost gas. 'The asset needs to be cheap gas. We look at the asset, the contract and the partner… On the contract side, the legal framework and the stability needs to be there, both for upstream operators and for us.' Infrastructure-First Approach Gas infrastructure must come before LNG exports, according to Denis Chatelan, Head of Business Development at Perenco. The company's strategy has focused on domestic gas use as a foundation for future liquefaction, citing gas-to-power and gas-to-industry projects in Gabon and Cameroon. 'We did not start with liquefaction, but to develop the gas resources… We managed to find the right compromise of investment, ROI and infrastructure,' said Chatelan. 'At Perenco, we have deployed equity. If you want big rewards, then you have to take some risk. We have taken the risk of infrastructure, which is a very important first step to develop the gas resources of a country.' Local Support Critical to Long-Term Success Jiří Rus, Sales&Business Development Director at Neuman&Esser, stressed the importance of original equipment manufacturers building in-country operational support to sustain LNG and gas projects. 'Within our partnerships, we focus on operation. We need to support projects not from Germany, but through local service centers. We have one in Port Harcourt in Nigeria, for example, to support future projects, and now we are doing so in Mozambique,' said Rus. Dominique Gadelle, VP of Upstream&LNG at Technip Energies, echoed the importance of anchoring projects in local benefits. 'Boosting local economies, power generation... This is a must before going to international exports,' he said. 'We can also look at monetizing gas in different ways – fertilizers, for instance. We also need to promote regional cooperation, and we cannot forget local skills, employment and education and training programs.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
Zawya
10-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 to Host Panel on Advancing Africa's Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Potential
The upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum will feature a high-level panel on Advancing Africa's LNG Potential: Overcoming Infrastructure and Investment Challenges, sponsored by Perenco. As global demand for natural gas rises, Africa's abundant reserves and strategic location position the continent as a key supplier – provided infrastructure, regulatory and financing hurdles can be addressed. Moderated by Jacqueline Chinwe, Global Future Energy Leader, the panel brings together influential voices from the LNG value chain. Confirmed speakers include Julius Rone, Managing Director of UTM Offshore; Mario Bello, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at Eni; Dominique Gadelle, Vice President, Upstream&LNG at TechnipEnergies; and Denis Chatelan, Head of Business Development at Perenco. These leaders will share strategies to accelerate LNG development, including de-risking investments, leveraging blended finance models and strengthening regulatory frameworks to ensure commercial viability. IAE 2025 ( is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@ Africa's natural gas resources – particularly in countries like Nigeria, Mozambique, Senegal, Mauritania and the Republic of the Congo – are attracting growing international interest. Natural gas is expected to account for 40% of Africa's oil and gas capital expenditures by the end of the decade, according to the African Energy Chamber's State of African Energy 2025 Outlook Report. In West Africa, major projects such as Phase 2 of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim development and the Yakaar-Teranga Gas Project in Senegal are set to significantly boost LNG production and regional gas-to-power capacity, while Eni's Congo LNG project in the Republic of the Congo is leveraging FLNG technology to fast-track exports and monetize offshore reserves. With major LNG projects advancing across the continent, investment momentum continues to build. Floating LNG solutions – such as UTM Offshore's facility in Nigeria and Perenco's Cap Lopez terminal in Gabon – are offering scalable, capital-efficient models for deployment. In Mozambique, Eni is expanding on the success of its Coral South FLNG by developing a second floating facility, Coral North. Meanwhile, gas-to-power initiatives hold strong potential to address chronic energy shortages, contributing to both energy security and the transition to a more sustainable, lower-carbon energy mix. The panel will explore how to align Africa's export ambitions with domestic industrialization and energy access goals, driving inclusive economic growth while contributing to global energy security and environmental objectives. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
