NFE LNG project : 5 questions to Laurent Vivier

NFE LNG Project in Qatar

5 questions to Laurent Vivier

This project is called NFE, North Field East. So, we are offshore, in Qatar, about the latest step for the development of the North Field project, which is a giant gas field offshore, which has been developed already for quite a few years. But we are here in the eastern part of it.
So, what is it about? It’s about TotalEnergies and QatarEnergy joining forces for the development of this part of the gas field. It’s going to be eight offshore platforms, 80 wells, supplying gas to some liquefaction trains, which are going to be developed onshore, with then LNG to be exported.

Why was TotalEnergies selected for this project?

So, I think we won for two reasons. Firstly, we are extremely motivated by LNG. It’s at the core of our strategy just to develop natural gas via LNG. And secondly, we are in LNG present all along the value chain, both in the Upstream, but as well in the Marketing and the Downstream. And that’s exactly what QatarEnergy was looking for, in terms of partnership: to partner not just on the development of the gas field, but as well all along the value chain.

How does this project affect our position in Qatar’s energy sector?

Qatar is very important for us. It’s very important because we’ve got a long history. We’ve been there for eighty years now. And it is the last step in our development over there, increasing once again our presence.
But we are not just there in LNG. It’s a long history but as well a very diverse story in Qatar. Our presence is now in, of course, LNG, with NFE as the latest milestone, but we are as well in the development of oil fields, we are as well in Refining and Chemicals, we are there with Marketing Services, we are there with a research center, and we’re there as well for example for Renewables: we are going to open up and “energize”, today, as it’s said, an 800 MW solar power plant.

What about the role of LNG in the Company’s portfolio?

We believe in natural gas within TotalEnergies because we believe it’s a transition fuel, which will help to reduce emissions, in particular replacing coal for power generation. To this, I would say we have now a second imperative with natural gas: it’s the security of supply. We need to find new sources to supply markets not only in Asia, but as well in Europe, with the current crisis in Ukraine.
So, Qatar is really important for us because it does prove our commitment that we want to expand on our activity in LNG. And you know that we’ve got to wait longer than expected in Mozambique to have the right conditions to develop some projects. We’ve got some setbacks, of course, in the development of our projects in Russia. So, this Qatar venture is really good just to show the momentum in the development of LNG.

How is North Field East LNG a low-carbon project?

Firstly, we are going to capture and reinject underground the native CO₂ coming from the North Field project. And secondly, we have included for example some electrification of part of the processes, and this electricity will come from the grid in Qatar, which does include some renewable products, including ours, thus reducing the CO2 element in terms of production of energy.