Kosmos says Tortue Phase-1 “remains on track” to produce Mauritania’s first ever gas/LNG output from “late next year,” in line (more or less) with the previously-stated 2H 2023 plan, despite “a more challenging environment”. However, comments from BP CEO Bernard Looney suggest an at least evens chance of first gas being delayed to 2024. “We had hoped for… start up by the end of next year, but a lot of it depends on how Covid evolves, particularly with the FPSO being completed in China for Tortue,” he says.

Kosmos CEO Andy Inglis says that “There was a two-week Covid-related lockdown of the Cosco yard [near Shanghai] in China in early April, but that now has been removed and the yard is back up and running… The team is working hard to mitigate these disruptions and maintain the contractor sail-away schedule of end 3Q.” (CONTINUED - 225 WORDS)