Energy
SLB OneSubsea Lands Rovuma LNG Subsea Production Systems Contract
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SLB’s OneSubsea joint venture has been awarded a contract by ExxonMobil Moçambique, Limitada, on behalf of Area 4 partners ENH, CNPC, ENI, KOGAS and XRG, to deliver subsea production systems for the first phase of the offshore Rovuma LNG project in Mozambique, SLB announced on September 29, 2026.
The contract scope covers the delivery of subsea trees, manifolds, umbilicals and associated control systems designed to support efficient production from the deepwater field. SLB OneSubsea will provide engineering, procurement, manufacturing and installation services, and the company said it will draw on its experience delivering subsea systems for complex deepwater developments worldwide. The announcement did not disclose a contract value or a delivery schedule.
“This award reflects our ability to deliver integrated subsea solutions that help customers accelerate development and maximize value from deepwater resources,” said Mads Hjelmeland, chief executive officer of SLB OneSubsea. Hjelmeland described the Rovuma project as a significant opportunity for Mozambique’s growing LNG sector and said the venture looks forward to continuing its long-standing relationship with ExxonMobil operations in Africa.
SLB OneSubsea said it intends to establish a services base in Mozambique to serve operators across the region, a facility the company said will create local training and employment opportunities while supporting the development of regional supply chains. SLB said the project supports deepwater production in Mozambique’s expanding offshore sector.
Rovuma LNG Phase 1 Development Plan
The deepwater Area 4 block off the coast of Mozambique contains approximately 80 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, according to ExxonMobil’s Rovuma LNG project overview. ExxonMobil states that at final investment decision, Rovuma LNG Phase 1 will be the largest private investment in Africa’s history, operated by ExxonMobil Moçambique, Limitada.
The development plan centers on an onshore plant at Afungi using an 18.6 million tonnes per year electric LNG concept, with 12 electrically driven liquefaction modules each producing 1.55 million tonnes per year and one high-efficiency combined-cycle power plant supplying electrical demand. ExxonMobil (XOM ) says the design reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40% compared with traditional mega-trains, based on the Rovuma LNG FEED design.
Reaching the targeted 2030 startup requires 18 initial subsea wells in water depths of up to 1,700 meters and approximately 50 kilometers of offshore flowlines to transport feed gas to the onshore LNG plant, according to the project overview.
ExxonMobil states that the venture aims to engage approximately 7,500 Mozambicans during the execution phase, create about 700 jobs during the operations phase, and supply up to 500 MMSCFD of gas domestically. Over its life, Phase 1 is expected to generate over US$140 billion in government revenue, strengthening health, education and infrastructure and positioning Mozambique among the world’s top five LNG exporters by 2040.
Under the upstream execution model described by ExxonMobil, one contractor will lead subsea system design and fabrication while another executes pipeline and subsea installation, with the operator procuring critical components such as umbilicals, line pipe and large-bore valves for contractor installation. Modular structures containing piping, equipment, electrical and instrumentation cabling, and buildings will be fabricated overseas and transported to the construction site at Afungi by heavy-lift vessels or barges.
Earlier Rovuma LNG Contract Awards
On August 17, 2026, ExxonMobil Moçambique, Limitada, on behalf of the Area 4 co-venturers, awarded approximately US$1.1 billion in pre-investment contracts for critical long-lead upstream equipment supporting the Rovuma LNG Phase 1 development in Cabo Delgado. The largest of those contracts went to OneSubsea UK Limited and OneSubsea AS, with in-country work supported by Aker Solutions Mozambique, Limitada, for engineering, procurement, fabrication and manufacturing services related to subsea production systems, controls and umbilicals.
Other recipients named in that announcement were Advanced Technology Valve S.p.A., for the engineering, procurement, fabrication, testing and delivery of large bore production valves; Corinth Pipeworks Pipe Industry Single Member S.A., for submerged arc welded line pipe; Sumitomo Corporation of America, for seamless line pipe; and Zhejiang Jiuli Hi-Tech Metals Co., Ltd., for mechanically lined pipe, induction bends, weld overlay products and associated line pipe systems. ExxonMobil said awarding the contracts before FID enables suppliers to begin fabricating and manufacturing materials requiring significant quantities and specialized equipment with extended delivery schedules, optimizing project execution timelines. Johanna Boothey, lead country manager of ExxonMobil Moçambique, Limitada, said the awards represented an important step forward for the project and reflected the co-venturers’ commitment to developing Mozambique’s natural gas resources.
On September 10, 2026, ExxonMobil Moçambique, Limitada, on behalf of the Mozambique Rovuma Venture representing the Area 4 partners, signed a letter of intent with a consortium of Saipem and Jan De Nul for the Rovuma LNG project’s upstream engineering, procurement and technical services, supporting detailed planning and project definition for a development covering 18 wells and a network of subsea pipelines and manifolds as the partners progress toward a final investment decision in 2026. The announcement also confirmed the selection of the Saipem and Jan De Nul consortium for the project’s upstream engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract. The same announcement awarded Shorebase services contracts to two Mozambican companies, CFML Logistic S.A for Shorebase land and infrastructure services at the Pemba Bulk Terminal and Alistair Group Mozambique LDA for Shorebase logistics services, supporting the Area 4 drilling campaign and related offshore operations in Pemba. ExxonMobil said the project is expected to generate approximately US$6 billion in economic activity in Mozambique and create opportunities for approximately 7,500 Mozambicans during the construction phase.
