*

Woods and Chapo discuss TotalEnergies' force majeure that

impacts shared facilities with Exxon -FT

*

Exxon previously announced 2026 target to greenlight

Rovuma LNG

*

Islamic State-linked militants disrupt energy projects

since

2017

(Rewrites throughout, adds statement from Exxon, background)

Sept 30 (Reuters) -

Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) CEO Darren Woods last week raised

concerns about the risks that an insurgency movement posed to a

proposed $30 billion

gas terminal

in Mozambique and sought security assurances from President

Daniel Chapo before a decision to greenlight the project, the

Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

Woods and Chapo also discussed plans by TotalEnergies

to resume work on a nearby liquefied natural gas (LNG)

facility being developed by the French oil major and lift a

force majeure, the FT said, citing sources with knowledge of the

talks.

Islamic State-linked militants launched an insurgency in

the northern gas-rich province of Cabo Delgado in 2017, killing

thousands of civilians and disrupting multibillion-dollar energy

projects.

When TotalEnergies declared force majeure in 2021 due to an

offensive by insurgents that threatened its Area 1 Mozambique

LNG plant, Exxon was also affected due to the development of

shared and common facilities, such as an LNG jetty and

offloading facility.

In November last year, Exxon had said that it expects a

final investment decision

for its Rovuma liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in

Mozambique in 2026.

An Exxon spokesperson said on Tuesday that the oil major

was working closely with partners to ensure the right conditions

are met to enable the final investment decision and lifting of a

force majeure at the Rovuma LNG project.

Exxon and its partner Eni are developing the Rovuma

LNG project in offshore Area 4 in northern Mozambique, and it is

expected to produce 18 million metric tonnes per annum (mtpa) of

LNG.

"We strongly believe that the Exxon Mobil ( XOM ) project, if

implemented, will make a huge difference in the economy of

Mozambique and, as a consequence, in the life of Mozambicans,"

Chapo told the FT in an emailed statement.

The Mozambican presidency did not immediately respond to

a Reuters request for comment.