Wentworth To Exit Mozambique
Wentworth Resources said December 17 that it intends to relinquish the Tembo block onshore Mozambique, effective April 30 2019; two months ahead of the current end of its appraisal.
The AIM- and Oslo-listed East Africa gas producer will also exit Mozambique altogether, closing its Maputo office and shutting down activities on Tembo, in order to focus on its core small Mnazi Bay gas production asset in southern Tanzania.
Tembo covers 2,500 km2 of northeastern Mozambique and is 85% operated by Wentworth with state Mozambican ENH holding 15%, its only partner; Tembo is 120 km southwest of Mnazi Bay. Four months ago Wentworth had noted its concerns about the security situation onshore northeast Mozambique; it followed a US alert in June following Islamist gun attacks. Despite such concerns, Anadarko - and separately Exxon with Eni - are progressing on plans to develop large LNG projects onshore Mozambique, based on offshore gas, but neither has been green-lighted as yet.
Meanwhile AIM-listed Aminex and partner, Solo Oil, gave an update on their work at their Ruvuma and Kiliwani projects in southern Tanzania on December 17, including at Kiliwani where Schlumberger has been troubleshooting a blockage on its Kiliwani North gasfield. Operator Aminex said: "The well was fully opened and test gas flowed to the plant for a short period," it believes that there is a fluid column in the well and is analysing the operational and testing data, but gave no update about whether or not it would resume production.