(Ecofin Agency) - Mozambique's President, Filipe Nyusi (photo), has dismissed Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Pedro Couto, reorganizing the department a month before Eni finalizes an offshore gas project worth $10 billion.

The president did not disclose the reason behind the dismissal of the Minister, who had held the position since January 2015.

Six years ago, the country discovered offshore gas reserves of about 85 trillion cubic feet, one of the largest find sufficient to supply Germany, Britain, France and Italy for about two decades.

The gas provides Mozambique with an opportunity to become a middle-income state and also a major global liquefied natural gas exporter.

Talks between Eni and Anadarko, who are operators, have persisted for years as a result of disputes over terms as well as concerns about falling crude oil prices.

Eni has entered into a deal worth around $5.4 billion with Samsung Heavy Industries in July to provide a floating LNG platform to process gas from the field, which is to be sold to BP.

The Italian company has also finalized negotiations to farm-out a multi-billion dollar interest in other fields in Area 4 to ExxonMobil.

Two years ago, Eni sold 20% of its Area 4 licence to CNPC for $4.2 billion but ever since then oil and gas prices have dropped by more than half.

Exxon Mobil on the other hand, is close to purchasing Eni's Mozambique's assets, Reuters reports.

Anita Fatunji