ANPG Fulfils Main Goals of the Strategic Plan in the 1st Years of Activity

Investment in the oil sector in Angola increased considerably between 2022 and 2023. ANPG data points to growth of 96%. This result is, in part, due to the work carried out by the National Concessionaire in its first five years of existence, which take place tomorrow, February 6th. During this period, among other results, ANPG actively contributed to mitigating the decline in oil production in the country and to the relaunch of new production.

February 5, 2024 | The National Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) presented today, in a Press Conference, the results obtained in its first five years of activity. Among them, seven stand out, which the Board of Directors considers particularly relevant: mitigating the decline in production; resumes, eight years later, bidding for new concessions; investment in exploration activity through the 2020-2025 exploration strategy; development of joint efforts to decarbonize oil operations and boost renewable energy with a focus on biofuels; boosting Local Content and implementing policies and actions aimed at developing human capital and social responsibility; creating conditions for maintaining investors who were already present in Angola and for the entry of new ones; establishing closer relationships with all partners, particularly investors.

According to Paulino Jerónimo , Chairman of the Board of Directors of ANPG, “five years after its creation and the beginning of its activity, ANPG is solid and has reasons to enthusiastically celebrate the journey it has achieved because by having contributed to the improvement of business environment in which the oil and gas sector moves and operates in Angola, also contributed to the national economy functioning and the country fulfilling its commitments, internally and externally”.

These results were possible with the definition and implementation of a strategic plan, with five fundamental areas, including the consolidation and operationalization of the National Concessionaire function; the determined focus on replacing reserves with a view to mitigating the sharp decline in hydrocarbon production; the implementation of health, safety and environmental policies; the creation of policies aimed at developing human capital; and the attention given to the decarbonization of oil operations and the promotion of actions capable of leading to the development of renewable energy, with a focus on biofuels.

Regarding the development of additional resources in mature fields, agreements were signed with several concessions, resulting in the following results: In Block 14, the drilling of 7 wells was agreed, 6 of which were for development and 1 for exploration. Well drilling is currently underway. In Block 15, the drilling of up to 60 wells was defined, with 10 wells having already been drilled and the next 9 wells selected. With the drilling of these wells, production in the Block has significantly improved, and as a result of this agreement, the expectation is that the State will raise between 2,000 and 2,500 million dollars more than expected by 2032.

This Agreement also allowed Sonangol to enter with a 10% stake. In Block 17, the extension of all areas of the Block was negotiated in a first phase until 2035 and in a second phase until 2045, with substantial investments planned to improve production. I emphasize that this Agreement allowed Sonangol to enter the Block with a participatory interest of initially 5% since 2020 and subsequently another 5%, totaling 10% in the end.

In Block 0, the extension of the Block until 2050 was negotiated. According to the signed Agreement, the Contractor Group must make substantial investments to improve production, which is already underway. In Block 18, infill wells continue to be drilled in order to stabilize production.

The transformation of marginal fields into new opportunities led to the following results: Block 0 – Nsinga field – came into production in 2021. Also in this Block, the second marginal field, Lifua A, whose facilities were entirely built at the Malongo Base, has already come into production. . Also in this Block, construction of the N'dola Sul facilities is underway, which is being carried out at the Herema shipyards, in Porto Amboim. The Kambala Project is also in the final stage of approval.

Block 31 has the development of 3 fields in the final stage of approval: Palas, Astraea and Juno (PAJ), with the first oil scheduled for 2027. Block 20 has the final stage of discussion for the development of the Cameia and Golfinho fields, whose final investment decision should take place during the first quarter of 2024. And in Block 16, negotiations continue for the development of the Chissonga field.

In the field of exploration within the areas under production and development , wells were explored in the concessions of Blocks 15 and 15/06. ExxonMobil has planned the drilling of several exploration wells during 2024, with drilling of the first well expected to begin at the end of February. Likewise, TotalEnergies will drill a well in Block 17 this year.

Finally, to evaluate the oil potential of the new exploration zones, work continues in the Interior Basins, which aims to evaluate around 520,000 km2 of sedimentary basins located in the provinces of Cunene, Cuando Cubango, Moxico, Malanje, Cuanza North, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul and Uíge.

The President of the Board of Directors of ANPG, Paulino Jerónimo, guarantees that in this particular “the results are encouraging, as several samples of oil and gas were collected, proving the generation of hydrocarbons in these basins. It is planned to divide these sedimentary basins into blocks during this year for bidding in 2025”.