Mauritania: Gas production in Banda field May Start in Late 2014

Gas production in the Mauritanian Banda field may start in late 2014 or early 2015, it was announced in Nouakchott earlier this week.
The construction of a gas pipeline for the Banda gas field, whose reserves are estimated at 500 billion cubic feet, may be entrusted to U.K.-based explorer Tullow Oil Plc (TLW).
Construction works will start after negotiations with potential buyers of the gas are concluded by the end of next year, and gas production is scheduled to begin in late 2014 or early 2015, TLW vice president of African business said on the sidelines of an industry conference held in capital city Nouakchott.
Mauritania which earns foreign currency from exports of iron ore, gold and fish, plans to build a power plant to use Banda gas, the local media had reported in July.
Several mining companies showed interest in using Banda gas for electricity production.
Tullow Oil plc explores for and produces oil and natural gas. The Company operates in the United Kingdom’s southern North Sea, Africa, and South Asia.