Senegal gas projects near final investment decisions

DAKAR (Reuters) - Final investment decisions should be made for phase 2 of Senegal's Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project by September and for the Yakaar-Teranga project by the end of the year, a senior Senegalese energy official said on Wednesday.

BP and U.S.-listed Kosmos Energy are leading development of GTA and Yakaar-Teranga, Senegal's first natural gas projects.

"We are working to reach an FID by September for the phase 2 (at GTA) that should double expected production from 2.5 million tonne per annum to 5 million tonne per annum," Mamadou Fall Kane, an advisor to President Macky Sall, told Reuters.

The first phase of GTA, which straddles the border between Senegal and Mauritania, will deliver its first gas by the end of 2023, said Kane.

He said a recent European Union decision to label gas investments as climate-friendly would make it easier to attract financing.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in May that Germany wants to pursue gas and renewable projects with Senegal as the war in Ukraine forces it to look to diversify its sources of energy.

(Reporting by Aaron Ross; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)