Written by: Islam Al-Saqqa
Mauritania's LNG exports witnessed significant growth during the third quarter of 2026, rising by 16% year-on-year to reach approximately 603,000 tons, compared to 521,000 tons in the same period of 2025.
Fluctuation in Quarterly and Monthly Export Performance
Despite the annual growth, exports recorded a decline of over 9% when comparing the third quarter with the second quarter of this year, which saw exports of 665,000 tons. This decline reflects the lowest quarterly level of exports in 2026, after the first quarter recorded a peak of 703,000 tons, and the second quarter 652,000 tons.
On a monthly level, the year saw variance in exported volumes; March recorded the highest monthly rate with 253,000 tons, while total exports from January to the end of September 2026 reached about 1.97 million tons, achieving a 139% jump compared to the same period last year.
Map of Countries Importing Mauritanian Gas
China and Bangladesh topped the list of countries importing LNG from Mauritania during the third quarter, collectively accounting for 48% of total exports. The distribution of imports was as follows:
China received 152,000 tons during August and September, followed by Bangladesh with 135,000 tons imported in July. Italy came in third with imports reaching 122,000 tons, while Egypt ranked fourth with one shipment of 76,000 tons in August.
Operational Capabilities of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim Field
Mauritania began commercial production from the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim field, shared with Senegal, in early 2025, and relies on a floating vessel for export operations with a current operational capacity of 2.5 million tons annually.
