Angola Natural Gas Profile

According to the Oil and Gas Journal (OGJ), Angola has 9.6 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas reserves as of January 1, 2010a significant increase from the 2007 estimated reserves of 2 Tcf. According to EIA statistics, in 2008, Angola’s gross natural gas production was approximately 355 billion cubic feet (Bcf). Of this, 244 Bcf (69%) was vented or flared, 81 Bcf (23%) was re-injected to aid in oil recovery and 29 Bcf (8%) was marketed for domestic consumption.

With the considerable increases in proved natural gas reserves and government policies to end natural gas flaring, plans are underway to convert much of the natural gas into LNG for export with some to be used for domestic electricity production.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
Chevron and Sonangol together with other shareholders including Total, BP and Eni are building a five-million-ton LNG plant near Soyo in northern Angola. The plant is expected to be operational by 2012.

The natural gas will come from several offshore fields including Total’s Block 17, BP’s block 18 and Chevron’s blocks Zero and 14. According to the partners, the project will process 1 billion cubic feet of associated gas per day and will eventually produce 5.2 million tons per year of LNG plus process up to 125 million cubic feet per day of gas for the domestic market. Initially, the LNG is to be directed to the US market, currently intended for the regasification plant at Pascagoula on the US Gulf Coast.