Mauritania - Senegal: the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim field delivers its first gas cargoes

US company Kosmos Energy has announced a historic milestone for the energy industry in West Africa: the first production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) field, which straddles the maritime border between Senegal and Mauritania. This announcement marks a significant step forward for the two countries, confirming their entry into the circle of oil and gas producing nations.

According to Kosmos Energy, this production is "the first achieved under this project", underlining the importance of this step for the energy future of the region. The Mauritanian and Senegalese governments had already indicated on 31 December that gas had begun to flow from the wells to a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel positioned offshore, on the border between the two countries.

The GTA project is being carried out by an international consortium, with UK operator BP as the main shareholder, alongside Kosmos Energy, Société des Pétroles du Sénégal (Petrosen) and Société Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures et de Patrimoine Minier (SMHPM). The field, operated by BP, represents a major investment for both countries, with an initial production capacity estimated at 2.5 million tonnes of LNG per year.

According to Mohamed Ould Khaled, Mauritania's Minister of Energy and Petroleum, and Birame Souleye Diop, his Senegalese counterpart, this capacity should be increased to 10 million tonnes per year in the next few years. A prospect that places Senegal and Mauritania among the emerging players in the global LNG market.

This announcement comes just a few months after another major breakthrough for Senegal. On 25 June 2024, the President of the Republic of Senegal announced the first production of oil from the Sangomar field, located around a hundred kilometres south of Dakar. Operated by the Australian company Woodside Energy, this oil field reinforces Senegal's position as a key player in the West African hydrocarbon sector.

At the same time, Senegal has another promising gas field, Yakaar-Teranga, whose development is also being closely monitored by international observers. These projects, combined with the GTA project, could transform the Senegalese economy over the long term, generating substantial revenues and creating local jobs.

Exploitation of the GTA field and the Sangomar field opens up considerable economic opportunities for Senegal and Mauritania. The revenues generated by these projects could finance essential infrastructure, stimulate economic growth and improve living conditions for local populations. However, these projects also come with challenges, particularly in terms of resource management, transparency and compliance with environmental standards.

Both countries will also need to ensure that the economic benefits are fairly distributed and that local communities benefit directly from these projects. Collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society organisations will be crucial to ensure sustainable and inclusive development.

The eyes of the world are now riveted on this region, which could well become a strategic energy hub in the years to come.