Latest news with #Mitsui
Zawya
19 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Mozambique energy minister optimistic on TotalEnergies' plan to resume LNG project
TOKYO - Mozambique's energy minister said on Friday the government has not received a request from TotalEnergies to lift a force majeure declaration on its $20-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project there, but he is optimistic about the oil major's plan to resume its development this summer. The force majeure will be lifted as soon as the project's operator determines conditions are in place to resume operations, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Estevao Pale told reporters in Tokyo, after meeting with Japan's industry minister, Muto Yoji. "We, as government, are doing everything that we can to be able to resume the project," Pale said. "We are working together with all partners on the project to create the security conditions favourable to restart the project," he said, adding that security conditions have improved considerably. TotalEnergies Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne had said at an energy conference in Tokyo on Wednesday that he expects the project to resume development "this summer". Covered by force majeure since 2021 following insurgent attacks, the Mozambique LNG project includes development of the Golfinho and Atum natural gas fields in the Offshore Area 1 concession and the building of a two-train liquefaction plant. The plant will have an annual capacity of 13.12 million metric tons. French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies is the project's operator with a stake of 26.5%, followed by Mitsui & Co with 20%. Mozambique's state-owned ENH has 15%, and Indian state companies and Thailand's PTTEP own the rest. (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi in Tokyo; Writing by Emily Chow in Singapore; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Tom Hogue)
Reuters
19 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Mozambique energy minister optimistic on TotalEnergies' plan to resume LNG project
TOKYO, June 20 (Reuters) - Mozambique's energy minister said on Friday the government has not received a request from TotalEnergies ( opens new tab to lift a force majeure declaration on its $20-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project there, but he is optimistic about the oil major's plan to resume its development this summer. The force majeure will be lifted as soon as the project's operator determines conditions are in place to resume operations, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Estevao Pale told reporters in Tokyo, after meeting with Japan's industry minister, Muto Yoji. "We, as government, are doing everything that we can to be able to resume the project," Pale said. "We are working together with all partners on the project to create the security conditions favourable to restart the project," he said, adding that security conditions have improved considerably. TotalEnergies Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne had said at an energy conference in Tokyo on Wednesday that he expects the project to resume development "this summer". Covered by force majeure since 2021 following insurgent attacks, the Mozambique LNG project includes development of the Golfinho and Atum natural gas fields in the Offshore Area 1 concession and the building of a two-train liquefaction plant. The plant will have an annual capacity of 13.12 million metric tons. French oil and gas giant TotalEnergies is the project's operator with a stake of 26.5%, followed by Mitsui & Co (8031.T), opens new tab with 20%. Mozambique's state-owned ENH has 15%, and Indian state companies and Thailand's PTTEP ( opens new tab own the rest.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
TotalEnergies CEO anticipates Mozambique LNG project will resume 'this summer'
TotalEnergies expects its $20bn Mozambique liquefied natural gas (LNG) project to resume development "this summer", CEO Patrick Pouyanne said on Wednesday, 18 June 2025. He was asked about the timing during a session at the Japan Energy Summit in Tokyo. Covered by force majeure since 2021, following insurgent attacks, the project includes development of the Golfinho and Atum natural gas fields in the Offshore Area 1 concession and the building of a two-train liquefaction plant. The project will have a capacity of 13.12 million metric tonnes per annum. TotalEnergies is the project's operator with a stake of 26.5%, followed by Mitsui & Co with 20%, while Mozambique's state-owned ENH has 15%. Indian state firms and Thailand's PTTEP own the rest. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
TotalEnergies CEO expects to restart Mozambique LNG project this summer
TOKYO, June 18 (Reuters) - TotalEnergies ( opens new tab expects its $20-billion Mozambique liquefied natural gas (LNG) project to resume development "this summer", Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne said on Wednesday. He was asked about the timing during a session at the Japan Energy Summit in Tokyo. Covered by force majeure since 2021, following insurgent attacks, the project includes development of the Golfinho and Atum natural gas fields in the Offshore Area 1 concession and the building of a two-train liquefaction plant. The project will have a capacity of 13.12 million metric tons per annum. TotalEnergies is the project's operator with a stake of 26.5%, followed by Mitsui & Co (8031.T), opens new tab with 20%, while Mozambique's state-owned ENH has 15%. Indian state firms and Thailand's PTTEP ( opens new tab own the rest.
The Mainichi
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
'Not bad at all': Japan expert taste-tests stockpiled rice as reserves hit shelves
TOKYO -- The Japanese government has started selling its stockpiled rice through negotiated contracts in an effort to curb the rising price of the staple, which has sparked public interest in the quality of old rice, particularly its taste. It's rare for stockpiled rice, released only in response to disasters, to enter the market, making this the first time for it to be used to control prices. And because it is rarely released, consumers don't often get a chance to taste it. The impression of old rice having poor flavor is deeply rooted. Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the opposition Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), commented that stockpiled rice "after a year becomes something fit for animal feed," apparently echoing this negative perception. But how much does the quality of rice actually decline over time? The Mainichi Shimbun asked a food scientist and a major rice cooker manufacturer to find out. 'Not bad,' says expert "Of course, freshly harvested rice tastes best. But older rice isn't bad at all," said Toshiaki Mitsui, a specially appointed professor at Niigata University who teaches molecular biology. On May 29, he taste-tested rice harvested in 2024, 2022 and 2020 -- all from the same region and freshly milled. "The new rice from 2024 has an excellent aroma, chewy texture and refined sweetness. Older rice can be a bit dry and lose some of its luster. But I couldn't tell the difference between the 2022 and 2020 rice. While the fragrance is fading, there was no unpleasant smell." According to Mitsui, the fat found on the outer surface of rice oxidizes and produces compounds like hexanal over time, which can cause a so-called "old rice smell" when cooked. However, in his actual tests, even rice from five years ago apparently tasted like ordinary rice. "The outer layer is removed when the rice is milled, and more importantly, it all depends on how it is stored. I've heard that government stockpiles are kept at low temperatures with carefully controlled humidity, so there shouldn't be any issue," he explained. 'Livestock are eating well' Rice prices remain high. Despite the situation, consumers likely want to continue enjoying tasty rice as part of their daily meals. Agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who is overseeing the effort to bring down rice prices, criticized Tamaki's "animal feed" comment as "a bit disappointing," though the comment itself is technically true. Stockpiled rice is generally sold for animal feed if it is stored for more than five years. Of the 300,000 metric tons now being released by the government through negotiated contracts, 100,000 tons were harvested in 2021 and 200,000 tons in 2022. Tamaki's comment referred to this. Tamaki held a speech on the streets that same evening after the animal feed remark, and said, "That's why I don't think even 1,800 yen (about $13) for 5 kilograms is cheap." While the term "animal feed" may evoke the image of rice of a severely degraded quality, Mitsui laughed and said, "You could say that Japanese livestock (that are being fed stockpiled rice) are actually eating pretty well." He added, "Older rice can still taste really good. Why not think of it as a rare opportunity and enjoy it?" How to cook old rice according to rice cooker manufacturer Japanese rice cookers have made notable progress in recent years. Major brands now boast features that allow even older rice to be cooked deliciously. Milling technology is also said to have advanced significantly. Osaka-based Zojirushi Corp., a major rice cooker and kitchen appliance manufacturer, advises on its website that "since older rice contains less moisture, it's best to add a little more water when cooking." At the same time, scrubbing the rice too hard due to worries over the quality of old grains is apparently not recommended. Older rice tends to be drier and more fragile, making it more likely to crack when washed vigorously. A representative from the company's public relations department said, "In the past, people were told to scrub the rice, but now with advanced milling technology, a light rinse is enough. You don't need to worry that much just because it's old rice."
