ExxonMobil Moçambique has awarded SLB OneSubsea a contract to supply subsea production systems for the first phase of the Rovuma LNG project, the 18.6-million-tonne-per-annum liquefaction development in Mozambique's offshore Rovuma Basin.

The scope covers subsea trees, manifolds, umbilicals and control systems for the deepwater development on the Area 4 concession, according to SLB OneSubsea. The award combines production hardware supply with engineering, procurement, manufacturing and installation services.

SLB OneSubsea operates as a joint venture between SLB, Aker Solutions and Subsea7. The company said it would draw on its track record delivering subsea systems for complex deepwater developments worldwide, and that the equipment is designed to support efficient production.

Phase one targets three fields in the Mamba complex within Area 4, a block the partners say holds more than 85 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Beyond LNG capacity of 18.6 million tpa, the project is expected to deliver 2.4 billion cubic metres of gas resources.

Mozambique Rovuma Venture — an incorporated joint venture of Eni, ExxonMobil and CNPC holding a combined 70% of Area 4 — operates the project. Eni, ExxonMobil and CNPC each hold interests through the venture, while the remaining 30% is split equally among ADNOC's XRG, Korea Gas Corporation and Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos, at 10% apiece.

The award is a sanctioned-project milestone for a development with a long approval history. Partners submitted development plans to the Mozambican government in July 2018; the government approved them in May 2019.

Procurement activity is accelerating. Earlier this month, Saipem, in partnership with Jan De Nul, signed a letter of intent with ExxonMobil Moçambique covering early engineering, procurement and technical services for phase one.

SLB OneSubsea also plans to establish a service base in Mozambique to support training, job creation and development of local supply chains.

SLB OneSubsea CEO Mads Hjelmeland said: "This award reflects our ability to deliver integrated subsea solutions that help customers accelerate development and maximise value from deepwater resources.

"The Rovuma project represents a significant opportunity for Mozambique's growing LNG sector, and we look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with ExxonMobil operations in Africa, bringing our proven technology and expertise to this important phase of the development and beyond."

The watch item: the pace of further phase-one awards — EPC packages, offshore installation scope and onshore terminal contracts — as Rovuma LNG moves toward first LNG, and whether the Mozambican service-base commitments translate into executed local-content agreements.