Anadarko sticks to Mozambique timeline as state boosts security

MAPUTO (Bloomberg) -- Anadarko Petroleum Corp. said it’s sticking to a plan to decide on a $20-billion gas development in Mozambique by the end of June, after the government boosted security following attacks last month near the project site.

The Feb. 21 raid, in which an Anadarko contractor was beheaded, was one of multiple attacks in the area that day, two people familiar with the matter said at the time. Further incidents may threaten the company’s plans to build an onshore LNG processing facility in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, where the government has been battling suspected Islamic insurgents since 2017.

“The government is providing additional security resources in the area,” Anadarko said in a statement on its website Tuesday. “Given this response and other ongoing security measures, we expect to continue moving the project toward FID according to our current schedule.”

Anadarko has previously said it will make a final investment decision on the project in the first half of this year.

The company said that in addition to the fatality, six people were wounded in the attack.

“The evidence to date indicates both the convoy and a car belonging to a contractor encountered an existing event, which did not directly target our contract personnel, nor the LNG project, nor airstrip,” it said.