Page 9 - DMEA Week 27 2022

DMEA REFINING DMEA

New gasoline unit launched

at Luanda refinery

AFRICA ANGOLA has announced the launch of a new in Cabinda, which is designed for LPG recovery.
gasoline production facility at the Luanda refin- Three other refineries are in various stages of
ery, located outside the capital city. planning and implementation that will add a
The new unit was inaugurated by Angolan further 360,000 bpd, giving Angola ample out-
President João Lourenço, who transferred oper- put to become a significant exporter of refined
ating control to NOC Sonangol. products.
The gasoline unit is also integrated with a Meanwhile, the developers of the 100,000
combined cycle power plant that will have a gen- bpd Soyo refinery in the northern Zaire Prov-
eration capacity of 5 MW. ince intend to begin construction of the plant in
Its launch increases Angola’s gasoline pro- early 2023 once de-mining of the site has been
duction from 300 tonnes per day to 1,200 tpd, all completed.
of which comes from the Luanda refinery, where It is being developed by the US-based
a $235mn project is underway to return process- Quanten Consortium, comprised of Ameri-
ing capacity to its nameplate level of 65,000 bar- can firms Quanten, TGT and Aurum & Sharp,
rels per day, then expanding this figure to 72,000 and local technical services company ATIS
bpd. The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Nebest-Angola.
Gas estimates that the project will save the gov- The consortium was awarded a $3.5bn build,
ernment around $200mn per year. own and operate (BOO) contract by Angola’s
A government statement quoted Minister Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum
of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas Diamantino (MIREMPET) last year and owns a 90% stake
de Azevedo as saying that building the upgrade in the refinery, with NOC Sonangol holding the
and expansion of downstream capabilities would remainder.
improve supply security for Angola while also When complete, the facility will produce
reducing the financial burden of fuel and prod- gasoline, low-sulphur diesel and jet fuel. The
uct imports, which amounts to roughly $1.7bn partners laid the foundation stone in mid-May
per year. in a 7-sq km plot in the town of Matanga, later
At present, Angola’s only other active refin- announcing that they are working to a pro-
ing capacity is the 15,000 bpd Malongo Topping ject timeline that envisages completion in late
plant operated by Chevron subsidiary CABGOC 2025.™

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