HOUSTON, March 6 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc would be a good buyer for a stake in a Mozambique gas field,which sources say could fetch $4.5 billion, because of Shell'sbackground in liquefied natural gas (LNG), the head ofMozambique's petroleum management body said on Wednesday.
Arsenio Mabote, chairman of Mozambique's National PetroleumInstitute (INP), expected Shell and Exxon Mobil Corp would be among the bidders for a 20 percent stake in the Rovumaoffshore field that has just been put up for auction.
"Shell would be good because of their experience with LNG,"Mabote told Reuters on the sidelines of the IHS CERAWeekconference in Houston.
LNG, which allows gas to be shipped to markets abroad, is akey plank in Mozambique's plan to make money from its newfoundhydrocarbon wealth.
Shell was the top LNG producer among the world's biggest oilcompanies even before its $4.4 billion purchase of LNG assetsfrom Repsol last week.
Rovuma is hot property after recent discoveries boostedMozambique's gas reserves to around 150 trillion cubic feet,enough to supply Japan, the world's biggest importer, for 35years.
Anadarko Petroleum Corp and an Indian billionairewho controls conglomerate Videocon Group have launched anauction of their Rovuma stake, sources familiar with the mattertold Reuters this week.
Last year, Thai state oil company PTT Exploration andProduction trumped Shell in a battle for Cove Energyand its 8.5 percent of Rovuma. The $1.9 billion price tag forCove implies the stake now on offer could fetch $4.5 billion.
Sources had also named Exxon and Shell as potential buyers,along with PetroChina.
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