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The government of Angola, through the Ministry of Energy and Water, has invited expressions of interest from consultants by 1 March to carry out a review of the regulatory and institutional framework of the renewable energy sector for the establishment of a competitive procurement programme for independent power producers (IPPs). The contract will be financed from a $1m grant from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa.

Chevron subsidiary Cabinda Gulf Oil Company has given Sapura Energy Angola a contract for the provision of the semi-submersible tender-assisted drilling rig Sapura Jaya. The contract covers provision of the rig and drilling services for two years starting in Q2 2020, with a further two possible six-month extensions. Chevron operates Block 0 offshore Cabinda, which contains the Mafumeira field development, and Block 14, which lies west from Block 0.

Angola has taken a step towards reducing its dependence on borrowing from China with the signing of a $1bn loan agreement between Sonangol and a syndicate of major international banks. The loan, which runs for five years and pays a margin of 425 basis points over Libor, was underwritten by Natixis, Société Générale, the African Export-Import Bank and Standard Chartered.

Angola has published an action plan for the energy and water sectors covering the period 2018-2022. The plan aims to raise total installed capacity to 7.5GW in 2022 from 6.4GW in 2018 by expanding the role of gas and renewables, mainly solar. Tariff increases are planned in the new year in an attempt to eliminate subsidies for the power sector. Speaking at an investor roundtable in London on 14 December, energy minister João Baptista Borges said domestic tariffs would rise to around 10 kwanza ($0.03)/kWh from 3 kwanza/kWh at present.

Eni has announced the start of production from the Vandumbu field in Block 15/06. Eni said on 10 December that first oil from the Vandumbu field was achieved in late November, three months ahead of schedule. Along with the start-up of a subsea multiphase boosting system in early December, this has boosted oil production from Block 15/06 by 20,000 b/d via the West Hub’s N’Goma floating production, storage and offloading vessel.

Total on 10 November announced project sanction for Clov Phase 2 and Dalia phase 3 at a ceremony formally inaugurating the Kaombo project. Kaombo, on Block 32, is Angola’s biggest offshore development. The first floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, Kaombo Norte, came on stream in July, with a production capacity of 115,000 b/d. The start-up of the second FPSO, Kaombo Sul, is expected in 2019. Overall production will reach an estimated 230,000 b/d at peak and the associated gas will be exported to the Angola LNG plant.

Elecnor subsidiary IQA Group has won UK Export Finance (UKEF) support for a contract to upgrade two substations in Viana, east of Luanda, and Gabela, in Kwanza Sul, over two years.

Angola joined the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) as an observer member at the group’s 20th ministerial meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 14 November. The other African members are Algeria, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Libya and Nigeria. The fifth summit of GECF heads of state and government will take place in Malabo in November 2019, the first time it has been held in Africa.

BP has given Aker Solutions a five-year contract to supply brownfield modifications, maintenance and operations support for the Greater Plutonio field on Block 18 and the PSVM cluster development on Block 31. The scope of work covers the supply of engineering, procurement, and construction services for brownfield projects on each of the two floating production, storage and offloading vessels. This includes support for upgrades to process, chemical and marine support systems, as well as refurbishment of ageing piping and equipment. Aker has previously provided subsea support to Total’s Dalia and Kaombo projects offshore Angola.

Angola has announced plans for a national oil and gas agency to replace all-powerful parastatal Sonangol as national hydrocarbons concessionaire as part of efforts to restructure the oil sector. Supervision of the sector will be in the hands of the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum, and will include establishing medium and long-term strategy, managing legal disputes, approval of annual and multi-year plans and budgets, coordination between sectors and promotion of local content, including biofuels.

In an effort to tackle the economy’s imbalances and reduce dependency on oil, the Angolan government has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to initiate discussions on an economic programme that could be supported by an Extended Fund Facility (EFF).The EFF was established to help countries experiencing serious payments imbalances because of structural impediments, or struggling with slow growth and an inherently weak balance of payments position. EFFs offer longer repayment periods than the more classic bailout loans, in return for longer-term structural reforms.

Total has started production from the Kaombo development on Block 32, 260km off the coast of Luanda. Kaombo Norte, the first floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit on the development, will produce an estimated 115,000 b/d of oil, while Kaombo Sul is expected to start up in 2019. Production will reach an estimated 230,000 b/d of oil at peak and the associated gas will be exported to the Angola LNG plant, in which Total holds a 13.6% stake.

President João Lourenço has issued a decree modifying the contract for the construction of the 2,172MW Caculo Cabaça dam with the removal of companies associated with controversial businesswoman Isabel dos Santos. Decree 79/18, dated July 12 and signed by Lourenço, states that the contract must be modified to remove the consortium of China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC), Niara Holding and Boreal Investment, and give sole rights to CGGC.

Sonangol has extended the bid period for the former Cobalt International Energy blocks 20/11 and 21/09 in the Kwanza Basin. A Sonangol statement on 20 July said the opening period for a data room in Luanda had been extended to 31 August “at the request of several interested companies”. Consequently, the bidding deadline has been extended until 30 September. Companies wishing to submit tenders must send a letter of interest to Sonangol by 31 July.

Soco International announced on 2 July that it had entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Quill Trading Corporation and WMLC Resources Limited to sell its shareholding in SOCO Cabinda Limited for up to $5m in cash.Soco’s 85%-owned subsidiary Soco Cabinda holds a 22%, non-operating, working interest in the production-sharing contract for the onshore Cabinda North Block.