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Now is the Time to Invest in Angolan Oil and Gas

Over the past three decades, Angola has established itself as the premier destination for large-scale oil and gas investment.

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Over the past three decades, Angola has established itself as the premier destination for large-scale oil and gas investment.

However, the country’s rich acreage represents only one of the reasons foreign investors and project developers are attracted to the country, with high returns on investment associated with Angolan oil and gas incentivizing global participation in the market.

Energy Capital & Power, in partnership with the Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum, will host the Angola Oil & Gas 2023 conference this September to showcase investment opportunities within the country’s burgeoning energy industry.

Having recently been anointed sub-Saharan Africa’s largest oil producer and boasting confirmed reserves of 9 billion barrels of oil and 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, the southern African country hosts some of the world’s foremost oil and gas companies, including supermajors TotalEnergies, Chevron, ExxonMobil, bp and Eni. Angola’s current output is approximately 1.37 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) and 17,904.5 million cubic feet of natural gas.

As such, the country’s resource potential is high, and the country’s Government has sought to develop an enabling environment for its oil and gas industry while incentivizing investment into the sector through a robust series of regulatory reforms, infrastructure developments, and exploration strategies.

The Government’s National Development Plan 2018-2022 and its updated Hydrocarbon Exploration Strategy 2020-2025 showcase the immense potential within the country’s geologically appraised concessions and sedimentary basins, with underexplored prospects such as the Kwanza Basin and offshore deepwater Namibe Basin serving as some of the world’s leading frontiers for hydrocarbon exploration and production.

Angola also boasts well-established infrastructure to support its oil and gas industry, thus enabling potential investors and project developers to reduce costs and time required to develop new projects while expanding their footprint in one of the world’s fastest growing economies. The country’s 60,000 bpd Luanda Refinery, its 5.2 million ton per annum Angola Liquefied Natural Gas plant, and domestic pipelines connecting oilfields to processing facilities serve to support and grow the entire energy value chain while positioning the country as a regional hub for energy development.

In addition to the Luanda refinery, the Government has sought to expand the country’s refining capacity through the development of three additional refineries, which include the Cabinda, Lobito, and Soyo Refineries, which will boast a total combined capacity of 360,000 bpd upon completion. As part of the Government’s stated priorities of diversifying the country’s economy, once completed, these additional refineries are expected to significantly reduce its fuel import costs, saving an estimated $2.7 billion per year.

Meanwhile, as a result of the global energy transition, natural gas is poised to serve as an essential intermediary in the world’s push towards decarbonization. As a result, Angola is well-positioned to play a significant role in the energy revolution while leveraging its natural resources to promote wealth creation and socioeconomic development.

With a long history of participating international oil companies and service providers in Angola, the country’s oil and gas industry offers significant opportunities for partnerships and collaboration. Potential investors have the opportunity to connect with experienced industry players with a deep understanding of the market, including experience in reserves, infrastructure, and regulations.

On the upstream front, an increased Government focus on the development of crude oil and natural gas assets are expected to result in an annual growth rate of over 1.5% between 2022 and 2027. Furthermore, a recent announcement by Angola’s Ministry of Economy and Planning indicated that the country forecasts economic growth of approximately 3% in 2023, thereafter increasing annually by over 3.6% between 2023 and 2027. This market growth will be driven primarily by Angola’s oil sector, which has yet to tap into untapped oil reserves in the Congo and Kwanza Basins in the coming years.

Angola’s economic outlook, oil demand and supply trends, ongoing diversification efforts, and investment opportunities will be unpacked during this year’s edition of the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2023 conference and exhibition, taking place in Luanda from 13-14 September. AOG 2023 will feature high-level panel discussions, exhibitions, and exclusive networking forums showcasing investment and partnership opportunities within the country’s oil and gas sector.

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Dangote Mega Refinery in Nigeria Seeks Millions of Barrels of US Crude Amid Output Challenges

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Dangote Refinery

The Dangote Mega Refinery, situated near Lagos, Nigeria, is embarking on an ambitious plan to procure millions of barrels of US crude over the next year.

The refinery, established by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual, has issued a term tender for the purchase of 2 million barrels a month of West Texas Intermediate Midland crude for a duration of 12 months, commencing in July.

This development revealed through a document obtained by Bloomberg, represents a shift in strategy for the refinery, which has opted for US oil imports due to constraints in the availability and reliability of Nigerian crude.

Elitsa Georgieva, Executive Director at Citac, an energy consultancy specializing in the African downstream sector, emphasized the allure of US crude for Dangote’s refinery.

Georgieva highlighted the challenges associated with sourcing Nigerian crude, including insufficient supply, unreliability, and sometimes unavailability.

In contrast, US WTI offers reliability, availability, and competitive pricing, making it an attractive option for Dangote.

Nigeria’s struggles to meet its OPEC+ quota and sustain its crude production capacity have been ongoing for at least a year.

Despite an estimated production capacity of 2.6 million barrels a day, the country only managed to pump about 1.45 million barrels a day of crude and liquids in April.

Factors contributing to this decline include crude theft, aging oil pipelines, low investment, and divestments by oil majors operating in Nigeria.

To address the challenge of local supply for the Dangote refinery, Nigeria’s upstream regulators have proposed new draft rules compelling oil producers to prioritize selling crude to domestic refineries.

This regulatory move aims to ensure sufficient local supply to support the operations of the 650,000 barrel-a-day Dangote refinery.

Operating at about half capacity presently, the Dangote refinery has capitalized on the opportunity to secure cheaper US oil imports to fulfill up to a third of its feedstock requirements.

Since the beginning of the year, the refinery has been receiving monthly shipments of about 2 million barrels of WTI Midland from the United States.

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Oil Prices Hold Steady as U.S. Demand Signals Strengthening

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Oil prices maintained a steady stance in the global market as signals of strengthening demand in the United States provided support amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Brent crude oil, against which Nigerian oil is priced, holds at $82.79 per barrel, a marginal increase of 4 cents or 0.05%.

Similarly, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude saw a slight uptick of 4 cents to $78.67 per barrel.

The stability in oil prices came in the wake of favorable data indicating a potential surge in demand from the U.S. market.

An analysis by MUFG analysts Ehsan Khoman and Soojin Kim pointed to a broader risk-on sentiment spurred by signs of receding inflationary pressures in the U.S., suggesting the possibility of a more accommodative monetary policy by the Federal Reserve.

This prospect could alleviate the strength of the dollar and render oil more affordable for holders of other currencies, consequently bolstering demand.

Despite a brief dip on Wednesday, when Brent crude touched an intra-day low of $81.05 per barrel, the commodity rebounded, indicating underlying market resilience.

This bounce-back was attributed to a notable decline in U.S. crude oil inventories, gasoline, and distillates.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported a reduction of 2.5 million barrels in crude inventories to 457 million barrels for the week ending May 10, surpassing analysts’ consensus forecast of 543,000 barrels.

John Evans, an analyst at PVM, underscored the significance of increased refinery activity, which contributed to the decline in inventories and hinted at heightened demand.

This development sparked a turnaround in price dynamics, with earlier losses being nullified by a surge in buying activity that wiped out all declines.

Moreover, U.S. consumer price data for April revealed a less-than-expected increase, aligning with market expectations of a potential interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve in September.

The prospect of monetary easing further buoyed market sentiment, contributing to the stability of oil prices.

However, amidst these market dynamics, geopolitical tensions persisted in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Palestinian factions. Israeli military operations in Gaza remained ongoing, with ceasefire negotiations reaching a stalemate mediated by Qatar and Egypt.

The situation underscored the potential for geopolitical flare-ups to impact oil market sentiment.

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Shell’s Bonga Field Hits Record High Production of 138,000 Barrels per Day in 2023

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Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has achieved a significant milestone as its Bonga field, Nigeria’s first deep-water development, hit a record high production of 138,000 barrels per day in 2023.

This represents a substantial increase when compared to 101,000 barrels per day produced in the previous year.

The improvement in production is attributed to various factors, including the drilling of new wells, reservoir optimization, enhanced facility management, and overall asset management strategies.

Elohor Aiboni, Managing Director of SNEPCo, expressed pride in Bonga’s performance, stating that the increased production underscores the commitment of the company’s staff and its continuous efforts to enhance production processes and maintenance.

Aiboni also acknowledged the support of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and SNEPCo’s co-venture partners, including TotalEnergies Nigeria Limited, Nigerian Agip Exploration, and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited.

The Bonga field, which commenced production in November 2005, operates through the Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, with a capacity of 225,000 barrels per day.

Located 120 kilometers offshore, the FPSO has been a key contributor to Nigeria’s oil production since its inception.

Last year, the Bonga FPSO reached a significant milestone by exporting its 1-billionth barrel of oil, further cementing its position as a vital asset in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

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