The Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Investments Company (ROMPCO) has announced the successful completion of a project to expand the existing 865 km of gas pipeline from the Central Processing Facility (CPF) at Temane in Mozambique to Secunda in South Africa. The project involved the installation of a pipeline in parallel to the existing pipeline, from the CPF for 128 km where it connects back into the main pipeline.
Named Loop Line 1, the expansion project increases ROMPCO's gas transmission capacity. Loop Line 1 was built to transport gas to customers at the energy hub of Ressano Garcia in Mozambique, including the Central Térmica de Ressano Garcia (CTRG) gas-to-power facility, the Matola Gas Company and Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH). This expansion in capacity enables the generation of more than 400 MW of power at Ressano Garcia. The project marks another milestone in enabling further in-country monetisation of gas for Mozambicans.
ROMPCO is a joint venture between Sasol, Companhia Mocambiçana de Gasoduto S.A. and South African Gas Development Company (SOC) Limited. It owns the 865km pipeline through which the gas purchased from Mozambique is transported to South Africa and to Ressano Garcia in Mozambique. It is a cornerstone of the natural gas project that saw Mozambican gas monetised for the first time. The project has become a global benchmark in multilateral, cross-border public-private partnerships with significant benefits to all stakeholders.
During the construction phase, the project created employment opportunities for more than 840 Mozambicans living in close proximity to the project. They were trained in applying pipe coating and handling tasks at a pipe mill in Matola. At the construction site near Temane, training covered areas such as the operation of general earth moving equipment (graders, excavators, tippers, etc.), as well as hand grinders and brushers. It also included pipe stringing, steel fixing and concrete mixing plus casting, installation of fibre optic ducting and mine sweeping. In addition, people were also trained as class X70 welders' assistants and team leaders.
Typically, pipes used for gas transmission are imported from international supplies and delivered ready for installation. Through an initiative aimed at maximising local content, the bare pipe was imported and then coated for corrosion resistance by a local supplier, Capital Star Steel, in Maputo. Here 100 more young Mozambicans were trained to ensure that the pipes were coated to international standards.
"We are working closely with the Government of Mozambique to address the need for skilled citizens by investing in training and development programmes and by creating in-country employment opportunities and looking to source services and material locally for future expansion projects." commented Louis Bosch, MD of ROMPCO.
Completed in 2-million working hours and without any significant safety incidents during construction, the US$200 million Loop Line 1 project demonstrates ROMPCO's commitment to investing in the development of Mozambique's infrastructure. The project is the first of several planned expansion projects aimed at addressing the increasing energy demands of the rapidly expanding Mozambican economy - one of the fastest growing on the African continent - which is seeing electricity demand growing by approximately 14% annually.
"Over the last decade, ROMPCO has contributed to the development of Mozambique and its people through the monetisation and utilisation of gas. We continue to prioritise programmes and strategic partnerships aimed at improving the quality of life for the people of Mozambique and unlocking further socio-economic development in Mozambique," said Bosch
About us
Established in 2004, the Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Company (ROMPCO) is a joint venture between Sasol and the governments of Mozambique and South Africa to transport Mozambique's natural gas assets to markets in both Mozambique and South Africa for the economic benefit of the region.