The INP is the regulator of oil operations. Established by Decree No 25/2004 of 20 August 2004, the INP arises from the need to create a new dynamic for hydrocarbon research activities in the country, as a result of the interest shown by several international oil companies wishing to operate in the national territory.
The INP is protected by the Minister who oversees the oil area.
It should be noted that the first oil research initiatives in Mozambique began 1904, with the first discovery of natural gas being made by Gulf Oil in 1962 in Pande. Since then, efforts have been made to encourage research and exploration of hydrocarbon.
At the beginning of the research, the Mozambican State had the partnership of the former Soviet Union, which supported the hydrocarbon research sector through the involvement of Soviet technicians and companies in the execution of the seismic survey in Pande as well as in drilling.
After independence, the hydrocarbon research activity was revitalized by the creation of the National Hydrocarbon Company (ENH) in 1981 and by the creation of the Secretary of State for Coal and Hydrocarbons, whose activities were based on Law No 3/81 of 21 February. Subsequently, the Secretary of State for Coal and Hydrocarbons became the National Directorate for Coal and Hydrocarbons (DNCH).
In order to promote hydrocarbon research areas in Mozambique and attract foreign investment, the government launched the first public tender for the granting of research areas in 1984 and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Enron in 1985 and then obtained funding from the World Bank and the Kingdom of Norway.
In the 1990s, the Mozambican Government signed Production Sharing Contracts (PSA), thus creating the basis for modern and systemic hydrocarbon research, accompanied by a technical evaluation. However, many of these contracts have ceased to apply as a result of several factors, including the low price of oil in the international market, coupled with the poor results of the first research, which resulted in dry holes, aggravated by the fact that the costs for the research and production of hydrocarbons are very high.
In 2000, the Government of Mozambique, ENH, and Sasol signed a Gas pipeline Agreement, the EPCC and the Production Sharing Agreement, marking a new era for Mozambique. It agreed to develop the unified Pande and Temane gas fields as well as to deploy a gas pipeline for the transport of gas from production fields to supply markets in Mozambique and the Republic of South Africa. This Agreement granted Sasol the right to search for hydrocarbons in the remaining areas around the above fields.
Gas pipeline, with an extension of eight hundred and sixty-five kilometres, is the main natural gas flow infrastructure of the production fields. Throughout it, there are five take points, two of which are already in use, namely Temane point, which produces electricity for the District of Inhassoro, Vilanculos and Archipelago of Bazaruto and Ressano Garcia point that supplies the pipeline of Matola, which in turn feeds the Industrial Park of Matola and Machava.
In subsequent years other areas were awarded through public procurement, highlighting the 3rd public tender, which awarded Rovuma Basin 1&4 areas, where significant amounts of natural gas were discovered that put Mozambique on the route of the countries with the largest gas reserves in the world.
Regulating the Oil Resources of the Country Towards Energy Efficiency and Sustainability!
Ensure that oil operations are carried out in accordance with international laws, regulations and best practices, with particular emphasis on optimal resource management and compliance with health, safety and environmental protection aspects.
Let's press for:
Exemption;
Professionalism;
liability;
Teamwork;
Creativity and
Mutual respect.
The INP is a legal person governed by public law with legal personality, administrative, financial and asset autonomy. Therefore, within the framework of the exercise of its tasks, the INP needs infrastructure facilities. It is in this context that the Warehouse of Carotes was built, in Maputo City, Zimpeto neighborhood, Av. of Mozambique.
This Warehouse is a repository and study center par excellence, where several samples related to the research and production of hydrocarbons in the country are deposited. Therefore, this warehouse has samples of more than 100 holes, of a total of 247, carried out since 1950, when the research and production of oil resources began in Mozambique.
Using state-of-the-art equipment, all this material is rigorously selected and handled by specialized INP technicians.
The INP is supervised by the Ministry that oversees the mining and energy area, so we are the regulatory body, responsible for the administration and promotion of oil operations in Mozambique.
Since its inception, the institution has faced several challenges, the first of which has undoubtedly been to reduce the distance between users and the services offered by it in order to meet the demands of the sector effectively.
As is well known, the largest amounts of oil resources ever discovered in the country were off the coast of the northern province of Cabo Delgado. It is precisely on this path that we have decided to open a Provincial Delegation at that point in the country, which has given greater mobility and accessibility to provide services at the level of the northern region.
Following the 2nd open competition for the granting of areas for the research and production of hydrocarbons, the companies Anadarko Mozambique Area 1 and the National Hydrocarbon Company were awarded Area 1 in offshore environment of the Rovuma Basin. The area is located in the northern part of Cabo Delgado Province, in shallow to very deep waters. The Hydrocarbon Research and Production Areas Grant Agreement (CCPP) was signed on 20 December 2006 and is effective as of 1 February 2007.
Median estimate of 43 tcf (cubic foot trillions) of gas.
4 Transzonal Reservoirs:
Median estimate of 3.4 (cubic foot trillions) Tcf of natural gas.
Median estimate of 8.4 Tcf (cubulated foot trillions) of natural gas
The Paleocene Reservoirs.
Tigris Shark Discovery Area (1254 km2), has 3 reservoirs of the Cretaceous (K1,K2 and K3), the K2 being the best in Orca and Shark-Tigre and has a median estimate of 0.323 Tcf (cubic foot trillions) of natural gas.
The complete technical evaluation of the potential of the Cretaceous in Area 1, between the Areas of Discovery Tubarão Tigre and Orca, determined that it contains small, discontinuous and low quality reservoirs, and this would probably present significant challenges in the supply of trade amounts of gas. Of the three reservoirs of Cretaceous (K1,K2 and K3) evaluated, the best is K2 in Orca and Shark-Tiger that has an average resource of 0.323 Tcf (cubic foot trillions) of natural gas.
This discovery was made in Area 1 by Anadarko in 2013 through borehole Orca-1, whose reservoir is the age of the Middle Paleocene, was subsequently evaluated by the holes Manta-1, Orca-2, Orca-3 and Orca-4.
The discovery is located about 10 km from the coast line, 250 km from the city of Pemba. This reservoir is of Middle Paleocene age and is not shared. The average estimate of resources is about 8.4 Tcf (cubulated foot trillions) of natural gas in situ, according to estimates submitted by Total.
The reservoir in the Orca discovery lies at depths ranging from 4000 to 5000m below the mid sea level, and the water column from about 600m to 1200m. The extension is about 30 km.
This discovery was made by Anadarko in January 2011 through the Jaw-1 hole and evaluated by the Shark-2 hole (negative) in 2013. The discovery is located about 25 km from the coast line, 50 Km of the Northeast of the district of Mocímboa da Praia and 200 Km of the Northeast of Pemba City.
The reservoir is completely in Area 1. The average estimate of resources is about 3.4 tcf (cubic foot trillions) of gas in situ.
The reservoir is at a depth of 3500 to 4000 metres below the average sea level. The water column ranges from 800 to 1200 meters. The extent of the Shark discovery is about 20 km east-oriented.
