ExxonMobil is finalising preparations for a Final Investment Decision (FID) on gas development in Area 4 of the Rovuma Basin, with the decision scheduled to be announced this year, according to Jornal Notícias. The move signals that one of Africa's largest undeveloped LNG resources is edging closer to a formal commitment to proceed with capital expenditure.
Area 4 sits within the broader Rovuma Basin off northern Mozambique, a region that has attracted sustained international interest since the discovery of substantial offshore gas reserves. ExxonMobil holds a position in Area 4 alongside other licence partners, and the completion of pre-FID technical and commercial preparations is understood to be the immediate priority. The article does not specify the scale of planned investment, production targets, or the detailed project configuration at this stage.
The timing is significant in the context of Mozambique's LNG ambitions. The neighbouring Area 1 project, led by TotalEnergies, has faced repeated delays following a force majeure declaration in 2021 linked to security conditions in Cabo Delgado province. ExxonMobil advancing toward an FID in Area 4 would represent a meaningful signal of renewed commercial confidence in Mozambique's offshore gas sector, even as onshore security concerns in the region continue to be monitored by operators and investors alike.
A positive FID would trigger large-scale procurement across multiple engineering and offshore disciplines. Rovuma Area 4 development would be expected to require subsea infrastructure, FPSO or fixed platform solutions, drilling campaigns, LNG processing and export facilities, and extensive pipeline and marine works — though the article does not confirm which specific configurations or contractors are currently under consideration. Norwegian service companies with experience in complex deepwater and LNG projects across Africa should treat ExxonMobil's pre-FID activity as a critical window for relationship-building and technical positioning ahead of what could become a major tender cycle.