03 September 2013, Maputo — The project to distribute natural gas in Mozambique capital, Maputo, and the neighbouring district if Marracuene will start with major energy consumers such as hospitals, hotels and shopping centres, and only later will the gas be piped into homes.
Speaking to reporters, Energy Minister Salvador Namburete said that by next May the large scale clients could already be benefitting from natural gas.
“The contract states that in April/May next year the large scale consumers will begin to receive piped gas”, he said. “The next step will be connecting houses to the gas pipelines”.
Budgeted at about 38 million US dollars the piped gas project began in March this year. The gas comes from the Temane and Pande fields in Inhambane project, operated by the South African petrochemical giant Sasol.
The main pipeline takes the gas to the Sasol plants in Secunda, South Africa. A second pipeline branches off the main line, carrying gas to Matola. This will now be extended to reach Maputo and Marracuene. The total gas distribution network will be about 62 kilometres long.
The project is under the overall control of Mozambique’s publicly owned National Hydrocarbon Company, ENH, and the construction is being undertaken by the Korea Gas Corporation or Kogas.
Namburete told the reporters he does not yet know how much a domestic connection to the gas pipeline will cost, since the calculations are still being made. “But I know it will be cheaper than electricity, and much cheaper than charcoal or firewood, as well as much healthier”, he said.
