Upstream

Exploration in Angola: find out about the country’s latest bidding round at Cape VIII

Picture: ANPG Angola.

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On April 5th, the Angolan National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) opened a tender for eight oil blocks in the Lower Congo and Kwanza offshore basins. These include Blocks 16/21, 31/21, 32/21, 33/21 and 34/21 in the Lower Congo and Blocks 7/21, 8/21 and 9/21 in the Kwanza Basin.

In the presence of Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, Diamantino Pedro Azevedo and Secretary of State for Oil and Gas José Barroso, the round of offshore blocks piqued the interest of several global oil majors operating in the country. Eni Angola notably submitted a bid for Block 31/21, as operator with a 50% interest, in partnership with Equinor (50%). On its side, TotalEnergies presented a bid proposal for Block 16/21, with a 100% stake.

“Knowing that the basins in the bidding have been studied and the investors have been able to prove that our business environment is recommended – and that investors recognise it – and that the ANPG guarantees  dialogue and continuous work with operators and with partners who trust Angola, it is something that shows us that we are on the right path and that we must commit more to boost our oil & gas sector and its contribution to the national economy,” commented  Paulino Jerónimo, CEO of the ANPG.

The bidding round was notably launched a month before the 8th African Petroleum Congress and Exhibition (CAPE VIII), set to take place in Luanda from May 16th-19th. The congress is sponsored by SONANGOL, TOTAL ENERGIES, EXXONMOBIL, CHEVRON, EQUINOR, TRAFIGURA, SOMOIL, SINOPEC, BFA, SNH, BRIMONT, SHEARWATER and is supported by PETAN, OGTAN, AECIPA.

Headline topics include, among others, ANPG’s latest bid round, the energy transition, and opportunities and challenges under the new geopolitical paradigm shift. The congress is organized by the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO), the government of the Republic of Angola (for the first time), the Angolan National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG) and AME Trade Ltd. The three-day event will be centered around the theme of “Energy Transition: Challenges and Opportunities in the African Oil and Gas Industry,” and assemble experts from the national, regional, and international energy and oil and gas industries to deliberate the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition and the future of the oil and gas industry in Africa.

The congress will be the ideal platform for Africa’s leading oil and gas producers to confront the foregoing challenges and engender solutions to maximize its oil and gas resources. Amid the drive by developed economies towards decarbonization and net-zero policies, attending energy stakeholders will have the opportunity to reinforce the case for regional integrated supply chains and pooling resources to leverage the catalytic power of hydrocarbons in a sustainable manner.

Supported by countless multinationals across the energy value chain and national oil companies, CAPE VIII will feature illuminating insight from a range of illustrious keynote speakers, who will position to influence the future landscape of energy in Africa and beyond.

Confirmed Keynote speakers notably include: H.E. Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources of Angola, President of APPO; H.E. Mahamane Sani Mahamadou Issoufou, Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Renewable Energy Republic of Niger; H.E Gabriel Obiang Lima, Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy of Equatorial Guinea; H.E. Samson Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa; H.E. Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Energy, Ghana; H.E. Thomas Camara, Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Ivory Coast; H.E. Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Democratic Republic of Congo; H.E. Mohamed Arkab, Minister of Energy and Mines, Algeria; H.E. Bruno Jean Richard Itoua, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Congo; H.E Vincent de Paul Massassa, Minister of Petroleum, Gas and Mines, Republic of Gabon; Toufik HEKKAR, CEO of Sonatrach, Algeria; Jianqiang Zhang, President, Sinopec Angola; Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General, African Petroleum Producers Association (APPO); Ms. Cany Jobe, Director of Exploration and Production, Gambia National Petroleum Corporation; Immanuel Mulunga, Managing Director, Namcor; Edson R Dos Santosi, CEO, SOMOIL ; Dr. Ibrahim Mamane, Directeur Général, SONIDEP ; Osam Iyahen, Vice President, Oil & Gas, Africa Finance Corporation; Bráulio de Brito, Chairman, Angola O&G Service Companies Association (AECIPA); Zakaria Dosso, Managing Director, AEICORP; Matthieu Milandri, Head of Upstream Finance, Trafigura; Yann Pierre Albert Livulibutt Yangari, Independent Consultant; Dr. Babafemi Oyewole, the CEO of Energy Synergy Partners; Tim Dixon, Director and General Manager, IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme.

The congress will notably welcome the participation of several African national oil companies (NOCS), including Sonangol (Angola), SNH (Cameroon), SHT (Chad), PETROCI (Côte d’Ivoire), SNPC (Congo), NNPC (Nigeria), Sonatrach (Algeria), GE Petrol and Sonagas (Equatorial Guinea), and SONIDEP (Niger).

In this crucial period for the development of the industry in Africa & globally, CAPE VIII presents a unique opportunity to connect with key stakeholders from Africa’s petroleum producing countries. 

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