• Mozambique holds 4.5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven natural gas reserves, but does not have any crude oil reserves as of January 1, 2013, according to the Oil and Gas Journal. The country has large onshore and offshore sedimentary basins that contain natural gas resources, but much of it is unexploited. Additionally, the country holds large untapped coal resources.
• Mozambique is one of two countries (including Tanzania) that produce natural gas in East Africa. In 2011, Mozambique produced 135 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas from two onshore gas fields, Pande and Temane.
• The majority of natural gas produced in Mozambique was exported (117 Bcf) to South Africa via the 535-mile Sasol Petroleum International Gas Pipeline and the remainder was domestically consumed (18 Bcf).
• Since 2010, there have been a series of natural gas discoveries in the offshore Rovuma Basin that are large enough to support liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. The U.S.-based Anadarko and Italy-based Eni have led exploration activities in the area. Mozambique expects to begin exporting LNG to the global market in the next five to ten years.
• Anadarko made several natural gas discoveries in its Prosperidade and Golfinho/Atum complexes, of which each contain between 17 to 30 Tcf and 15 to 35 Tcf of recoverable natural gas resources, respectively. Eni's natural gas discoveries are in the Mamba complex and the Coral site, of which each contain 62 Tcf and 13 Tcf of natural gas in place, respectively.
• Along with natural gas, Mozambique also produces coal. In 2011, the country produced 42 thousand short tons of coal, of which 36 thousand short tons were consumed locally and the remainder was exported. The government recently announced that coal production in 2012 increased to its highest level.
• According to the World Bank's latest data, only 12 percent of Mozambique's population has access to electricity. Electricity net generation in Mozambique was 16.5 billion kilowatthours in 2010, of which more than 99 percent was from hydropower and the remaining from fossil fuels. The vast majority of the population relies on traditional biomass and waste, mostly fuelwood, for heating and cooking.

Analysis Last Updated: April 2013