Maputo — The Italian energy company, ENI, on Monday announced a further discovery of natural gas in the Rovuma Basin, off the coast of the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado.

ENI announced that the discovery at the Coral 3 well confirms that the Mamba Complex in Area 4 of the Rovuma Basin, where ENI is the operating company, holds an estimated 75 trillion cubic feet of gas, with 27 trillion cubic feet exclusively located in Area 4.

The discovery adds at least four trillion cubic feet of gas to the known reserves in Area 4.

Coral 3 is located 65 kilometres off the Cabo Delgado coast. The water here is 2,035 metres deep and the well was drilled to a depth of 5,270 metres.

ENI plans more drilling in Mamba South 3 before moving to further exploration in the southern sector of Area 4.

ENI is the operator of Area 4 with a 70 per cent participating interest. Its partners are Galp Energia of Portugal, Kogas of South Korea, and Mozambique’s own National Hydrocarbon Company (ENH), each of which has a 10 per cent share.

The new discoveries add to Mozambique’s known gas reserves, which include the massive reserves in neighbouring Offshore Area 1 operated by the US company Anadarko, and the Pande and Temane gas fields off the coast of Inhambane province operated by the South African petro-chemical giant Sasol.