Eni S.p.A., an Italian energy giant, is set to drill up to six development wells to supply natural gas to its Coral North floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) platform offshore Mozambique. The drilling is scheduled to begin in November 2026, with production expected to commence by 2028. These wells aim to boost output from Mozambique’s offshore reserves, leveraging the country’s strategic location near high-demand LNG markets, particularly in Asia.
The new wells will support the Coral North platform, potentially increasing Eni’s output in Mozambique to nearly 7 million metric tons per annum. Eni views Mozambique as a key resource due to its proximity to major LNG-importing markets, reducing reliance on critical maritime routes like the Strait of Hormuz, which has faced supply disruptions amid the Iran-U.S. conflict.
Additionally, Eni is evaluating the construction of a third FLNG facility in Mozambique’s Rovuma Basin. The project is currently in the pre-front-end engineering and design stage (pre-FEED), assessing technical feasibility and costs. However, no final investment decision (FID) timeline has been disclosed.
Other major players in the Rovuma Basin include TotalEnergies SE and ExxonMobil Holdings Corporation. TotalEnergies’ Mozambique LNG project, located in Area 1, is on track to start production in 2029 with a capacity of 13 million tons per year. ExxonMobil’s Rovuma LNG project, in Area 4, is progressing toward an FID, with partners including ENH, Eni, Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS), China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), and ADNOC subsidiary XRG.