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Tanzanian LNG project postponed as federal government seeks to alter terms

Negotiations for the advancement of Tanzania's $42 billion liquefied gas export plant have actually been postponed by proposed federal government modifications to a monetary contract reached last year, a government representative and two business sources said.

The government and investors revealed last May they had completed settlements on the long-delayed task to unlock Tanzania's vast overseas gas resources.

Equinor and Shell are joint operators while Exxon Mobil, Structure Energy, Medco Energi and Tanzania's nationwide oil business TPDC are partners.

The government said at the time that the cabinet would evaluate the arrangements the list below month, however they have not yet been approved.

Government spokesperson Mobhare Matinyi said Tanzania was still thinking about working with the group of investors.

The proposed modification to the Host Federal Government Agreement plans to make sure that truly both sides benefit fairly in the whole deal and nothing else, Matinyi stated in a declaration to , without supplying information about the amendment.

We hope that our specialists and authorities will conclude the changes sooner than later to permit this crucial task to go ahead.

A source from one of the investors said the change was proposed by Energy Minister Doto Biteko after he presumed the post last August. Biteko also acts as deputy prime minister.

The proposition completely blew the project economics out of the water, stated the source, who asked not to be recognized. The source included that remarks last month to parliament by Biteko stating the federal government expected to conclude negotiations in the coming fiscal year were certainly positive.

A 2nd source from another financier concurred with the very first source's account. Neither source supplied details about the modification.

An energy ministry representative did not react to a demand for remark.

A Shell representative informed that after initialling the handle the federal government, the business had actually wished to see these contracts signed much faster, but we remain ready to continue to work with the federal government on competitive and investable contracts, constant with what we concurred last year.

A representative for Equinor had no remark. Structure and Medico referred to Shell. Exxon and TPDC did not right away respond to ask for comment.