TotalEnergies cheers ‘important milestone’ towards sanctioning oil project off Angola

TotalEnergies EP Angola, a subsidiary of France’s energy giant TotalEnergies, has tucked a new milestone under its belt with the signing of a heads of agreement with Agência Nacional de Petróleo, Gás e Biocombustíveis (ANPG) and Sonangol Pesquisa e Produção regarding the future development of the ultra-deepwater oil fields in the Kwanza basin offshore Angola.

TotalEnergies sees the heads of agreement as an important step towards a final investment decision (FID) for the development of the Cameia and Golfinho fields located on blocks 20 and 21 in the Kwanza basin. The FID is expected in 2023, following the partners’ and authorities’ approval.

Paulo Jerónimo, Chairman of the board of ANPG, commented: “This agreement should allow the first production in the maritime zone of the Kwanza and may contribute decisively for the national production objectives. Its potential may generate interest from other operators, including the beginning of other developments on the Kwanza Basin.”

According to the oil major, the future development project on Blocks 20 and 21, located around 150 km southwest of Luanda, will encompass an FPSO – the seventh for TotalEnergies in Angola – connected to a subsea network. In addition, the design of the new project includes electrical generation from a combined cycle turbine and a zero flaring concept, allowing a lower carbon intensity.

Gaspar Martins, Chairman of the board at Sonangol, stated: “Today, we reached an important milestone. For the coming years, the objective is for this project to be successful. For some time now, we want Blocks 20 and 21 to start producing, and we target a final investment decision this year, allowing soon that the offshore Kwanza Basin begins production.”

TotalEnergies EP Angola is the operator of blocks 20 and 21 with an 80 per cent interest in each block, while Sonangol Pesquisa e Produção holds the remaining 20 per cent. The production from the Cameia and Golfinho development project is expected to start in 2026.

With a diversified business portfolio from deep offshore assets that represent around 45 per cent of Angola’s hydrocarbon production, service stations in partnership with Sonangol and renewables, TotalEnergies claims to be “a key actor for a equitable energy transition of the country.”

Nicolas Terraz, President, Exploration & Production at TotalEnergies, remarked: “Together with our partners, we are working to make possible this first offshore development project in the Kwanza basin, which will allow to put in production Cameia and Golfinho discoveries and add more value to new national energy resources. TotalEnergies celebrates 70 years of presence in Angola this year. We have always been pioneers in the Angolan energy landscape.”

Regarding TotalEnergies’ recent activities in Angola, it is worth noting that the oil major awarded a contract to TechnipFMC in February 2023 for the supply of flexible pipe and associated hardware for a life extension project.

The contract entails the engineering, procurement, and supply of flowlines and connectors for the Girassol Life Extension project (GIRLIFEX) offshore Angola.