Saipem and Jan De Nul are advancing the offshore development phase of the Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique, with work progressing on an 18-well programme, according to reporting by World Oil. The project represents one of the largest active offshore gas development campaigns on the African continent, and the progression of this well count signals meaningful execution momentum at a project that has faced significant delays in recent years.
The Rovuma LNG development sits in the Rovuma Basin off northern Mozambique, a region that holds some of the largest natural gas discoveries made globally in the past two decades. The offshore scope being advanced by Saipem and Jan De Nul covers subsea infrastructure and marine installation work tied to the broader LNG export ambition for the basin. The source article does not specify contract values, individual scopes per contractor, or the current completion timeline, and those details should be treated as unconfirmed until primary operator disclosures are available.
The involvement of two major European contractors — Saipem as a subsea and offshore engineering specialist, and Jan De Nul as a marine and dredging contractor — points to an active procurement and execution phase rather than an early planning stage. An 18-well offshore programme of this nature requires a wide supply chain across drilling services, subsea equipment, umbilicals, risers, flowlines, and marine logistics. The scale of the well count also suggests sustained offshore activity over multiple years rather than a single mobilisation campaign.
Mozambique's LNG sector has been one of the most closely watched in sub-Saharan Africa, with TotalEnergies' Area 1 onshore LNG plant facing a force majeure declaration in 2021 following an insurgency in Cabo Delgado province. The offshore Rovuma development has been viewed as a potential pathway to maintaining momentum on gas monetisation from the basin while onshore security conditions are assessed. Progress by Saipem and Jan De Nul on the offshore well programme indicates that at least the subsea and marine components of the broader development are continuing to advance.
For the Norwegian offshore service sector, this is a live, executing project with a substantive well count and two named prime contractors already engaged. The supply chain for an 18-well deepwater or semi-deepwater campaign typically extends to specialist drilling contractors, well services providers, subsea equipment manufacturers, and logistics operators — segments where Norwegian companies carry strong credentials. Partners should note that Saipem and Jan De Nul are the named contractors; any Norwegian supplier engagement would most likely occur through their respective supply chains rather than through direct operator procurement.