Brazilian energy major Petrobras and Mozambique’s national oil company Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH) have signed a two-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) covering cooperation across the oil and gas value chain, opening a new channel for technical expertise, project evaluation and potential future investment between two major resource-producing markets.
The African Energy Chamber (AEC) welcomes the agreement, viewing greater cooperation between ENH and international energy companies as an important part of Mozambique’s effort to attract investment, strengthen local capabilities and develop its hydrocarbons value chain. The Chamber has already established a strategic partnership with ENH focused on investment promotion, local content and private-sector participation as the country’s LNG and upstream sectors expand.
Signed on September 22 during Mozambique President Daniel Chapo’s visit to Brazil, the agreement establishes a framework for the companies to work together on studies, assessments, development and commercialization, alongside knowledge sharing and the exchange of technical experience. The MoU can be extended by mutual agreement.
For Mozambique, the country is moving into a new phase of gas development following the restart of major LNG projects in the Rovuma Basin. TotalEnergies’ Mozambique LNG project has resumed activity after a prolonged force-majeure period, while ExxonMobil and its Area 4 partners are advancing Rovuma LNG. These developments are creating a wider ecosystem of opportunities spanning upstream development, engineering, infrastructure, services and domestic supply chains.
The Petrobras agreement could add another route into that ecosystem. Petrobras brings extensive experience in complex offshore oil and gas development, particularly in deepwater environments, while ENH provides a direct connection to Mozambique’s national hydrocarbons strategy and domestic market. For ENH, cooperation with an internationally experienced operator can support technical knowledge transfer and help expand its capacity to identify and develop opportunities across the value chain.
The agreement also comes as ENH seeks to strengthen its position as a commercially capable national energy company. The AEC and ENH agreed in July to deepen cooperation around international investment outreach, local content and private-sector participation, with the Chamber supporting efforts to unlock commercial opportunities across Mozambique’s upstream, midstream and downstream sectors.
“Partnerships like this are important for Mozambique because they bring together international expertise, investment potential and a strong national institution in ENH,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. “Petrobras has deep experience in complex offshore projects, while ENH is central to Mozambique’s energy ambitions. This cooperation can help unlock new opportunities while strengthening local capacity and ensuring Mozambique captures more value from its resources.”
For Petrobras, the agreement forms part of a broader international strategy as the Brazilian company looks to expand its global activities and potentially replenish reserves. The company signed a similar cooperation agreement with Mexico’s Pemex in June covering exploration and production development work in the Gulf of Mexico.
As Mozambique advances its LNG developments while pursuing additional upstream, domestic gas and downstream opportunities, the Petrobras-ENH pact adds another potential bridge between international technical expertise and local energy development. For investors and service companies, that could broaden the commercial opportunities emerging around Mozambique’s hydrocarbons sector – particularly as the country seeks to translate its vast resource base into infrastructure, industrial activity, skills and long-term economic value.
