During a workshop at the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) pre-conference on Tuesday, Saleno Sebastião, Head of Department at the ANPG's Directorate of Infrastructure and Natural Gas, outlined plans to expand processing, transportation, storage and distribution infrastructure across the country.

“We have a plan which focuses on the legal framework, what makes investment possible as well as a strategy for where to invest. The Gas Master Plan outlines how this plays out, introducing four fundamental pillars: natural gas resources, infrastructure, the market and the regulatory framework. This makes the connection between the upstream and midstream possible,” he said.

He explained that studies underpinning the country’s Gas Master Plan project consumption potentially rising from approximately 30 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) in 2025 to 500 mmscf/d by mid-century. To meet this demand, the ANPG is advancing a phased development strategy in the midstream sector.

“[The first phase] positions Cabinda, Soyo and Zaire as initial investment hubs. The second phase focuses on Luanda, Kwanza-Sul and Benguela, while phase three focuses on the southern regions such as Namibe,” Sebastião stated.

Cabinda, Soyo and Zaire will feature infrastructure such as Angola LNG, the Cabinda Gas Plant and gas-treatment facilities; Luanda, Kwanza-Sul and Benguela will be home to an onshore central processing facility, condensate export infrastructure and connections to the Lobito Corridor; while the third phase will extend infrastructure into southern Angola, where regasification facilities are envisaged to support mining, logistics and other industrial activities.

Petrochemicals are expected to serve as an anchor market for the strategy. According to Sebastião, Angola currently imports approximately 140,000 tons of fertilizer annually, creating an opportunity for domestic gas to supply fertilizer and other petrochemical developments. The ANPG is also examining the conversion of existing power plants from diesel to natural gas and opportunities to supply steel, transportation and other industries.

The scale of infrastructure required represents a substantial investment opportunity across the gas value chain, with midstream development expected to support further spending in processing while enabling additional upstream investment.

“We project around $70 billion – whether public or private investments – in the transport and distribution network for the midstream sector; $6 billion downstream investment and gas processing; and $90 billion in private upstream investment unlocked over 25-30 years,” Sebastião said.