First LNG produced at BP’s huge project offshore West Africa

First liquified natural gas (LNG) production has been achieved at a gas development offshore Mauritania and Senegal, said to be the biggest in the portfolio of the UK’s energy giant BP.

The start of the liquefaction process at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) Phase 1 project was confirmed by Kosmos Energy, one of the project partners. The firm also shared that BP has given notice to the offtaker BP Gas Marketing for an LNG carrier to arrive at the site and export the first LNG cargo later this quarter.

Kosmos Energy’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew G. Inglis, said: “First LNG is another major milestone for Kosmos, the GTA partnership and the governments of Mauritania and Senegal. We are looking forward to the accelerated ramp-up of LNG production and the first LNG cargo lifting during the first quarter.”

This comes less than a month after Golar LNG’s floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) Gimi received feed gas from the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) GTA situated approximately 40 kilometers offshore. The start of gas flow was achieved on December 31, 2024. 

Described as one of the deepest, most complex gas developments in Africa, GTA Phase 1 is expected to produce around 2.3 million tonnes of LNG per year once fully commissioned. 

The project partners are BP, which is the operator with a 56% interest, Kosmos Energy (27%), Petrosen (10%), and Société Mauritanienne Des Hydrocarbures (SMH) (7%).