Sonangol takes Cabinda refinery FID
Angolan NOC is moving forward with most promising project, but other downstream expansion plans remain in limbo
Angolan state oil firm Sonangol has long espoused ambitions to create a downstream sector to match the upstream, upon which the former Portuguese colony is highly reliant. Imports account for around 80pc of the country’s refined product demand, with the rest being processed at the only functioning refinery at Luanda. The facility has a throughput capacity of c.57,000bl/d, although an ongoing upgrade project will increase this to 65,000bl/d, with a completion date pencilled in for next year. Key to the government’s plans to develop the sector are the addition of greenfield facilities at Lobito in the south, Soyo in the north and Cabinda even further north in the exclave of the same name. Part
Also in this section
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices
1 April 2026
The US-Iran conflict demonstrates the need for diversification in several senses of the word. It also exposes the limits of Washington applying pressure on major oil and gas producers it considers geopolitical adversaries
31 March 2026
Disappointing results in its bidding round are a reality check for Libya, and global exploration generally
