Grand Tortue Ahmeyim gas project: kosmos energy updates on Senegal-Mauritania offshore venture

The ambitious Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project, jointly operated by the American firm Kosmos Energy across the maritime border of Senegal and Mauritania, is once again drawing significant attention. The Texas-based company has recently shared new insights into the ramp-up of this crucial transboundary field. Phase one of the project commenced its commercial production in early 2025, a development closely monitored by Dakar, where Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has made the strategic control of extractive resources a cornerstone of his political agenda.

A pivotal transboundary project for Dakar and Nouakchott

Initiated after years of intricate negotiations between the two capital cities, GTA exploits a gas reservoir situated precisely on the maritime boundary dividing Senegal and Mauritania. The agreed-upon revenue-sharing model is an equitable 50/50 split, a rare and commendable framework within West Africa’s extractive industry. Kosmos Energy leads the development efforts alongside bp, the long-standing operator of the concession, while the national oil companies, Petrosen of Senegal and the Société Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures (SMH) of Mauritania, manage their respective states’ participation.

The inaugural phase of the project is centered around a floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit designed to process raw gas for export to global markets. The initial operational target aims for approximately 2.3 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas annually. Kosmos reports that production is steadily advancing towards its full nominal capacity, following the successful technical commissioning completed last year and the subsequent dispatch of the first gas cargoes.

Kosmos energy navigates senegalese political expectations

Since the Bassirou Diomaye Faye – Ousmane Sonko administration assumed power in March 2024, the trajectory of the GTA project has been under intense scrutiny in Dakar. The Senegalese head of government has consistently articulated his intent to renegotiate or audit contracts inherited from the previous regime, which are perceived as unbalanced and disadvantageous to the state. This firm stance created a period of uncertainty for international operators, with Kosmos and bp at the forefront.

The American group’s recent communication is specifically aimed at providing assurance regarding the operational timeline. Kosmos underscores the stability of its partnership with authorities from both nations and confirms ongoing technical discussions concerning subsequent development phases. Nevertheless, the company has adjusted some of its initial ambitions downwards, as several financial analysts have observed a discrepancy between original targets and the actual volumes produced during the initial months of operation.

Crucially, the successful ramp-up of the GTA field will generate substantial budgetary revenues for both Senegal and Mauritania. For Senegal, projections suggest annual revenues in the hundreds of billions of CFA francs once the project reaches full capacity. These vital financial inflows are earmarked to bolster the intergenerational fund and the national budget, two key mechanisms established in Dakar for natural resource management.

Phase 2, local content, and energy sovereignty

Beyond the initial phase, the focus is shifting towards the project’s expansion. Phase 2 of GTA, long discussed to elevate capacity to around 3 million annual tonnes, remains contingent on securing an agreement among industrial partners and the involved governments. Kosmos has indicated that studies are progressing, though without a firm calendar commitment at this juncture. The prevailing international LNG prices and the operator’s stated deleveraging strategy are also significant factors in this complex equation.

For both Dakar and Nouakchott, the issue of local content remains a highly sensitive topic. The Senegalese government has expressed a strong desire to see more national enterprises integrated across the value chain, from industrial subcontracting to logistical services. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has also raised the prospect of allocating a portion of the gas production for domestic supply, particularly to fuel thermal power plants and thereby reduce the nation’s energy import bill.

However, the authorities’ room for maneuver is framed by existing contracts and the imperative to maintain the attractiveness of the MSGBC sedimentary basin. Several adjacent blocks are still undergoing exploration, and the approach adopted towards Kosmos and bp will serve as a crucial signal to potential investors. The credibility of Senegal’s overarching gas ambitions is being forged as much in the technical heart of the FLNG unit as it is within the ministerial offices in Dakar.