In a statement that VerAngola had access to, the National Agency of Petroleum, Gas, and Biofuels (ANPG) and Azule Energy announced the "successful start-up and oil production of the FPSO Agogo" last Tuesday.
This FPSO, which is the "centerpiece of the Agogo Integrated West Hub (Agogo IWH) project offshore Angola, envisages the "development of two fields, Agogo and Ndungu, in the West Hub of Block 15/06."
The project, operated by Azule Energy, will contribute to strengthening national energy capacity, as the two fields — Agogo and Ndungu — have estimated reserves of approximately 450 million barrels.
"The Agogo Integrated West Pole, operated by Azule Energy, with a 36.84 percent stake in partnership with Sonangol P&P (36.84 percent) and Sinopec International (26.32 percent), is expected to substantially increase production in Angola's energy landscape," the statement reads, adding that "the Agogo field, together with Ndungu, has estimated reserves of approximately 450 million barrels and a projected peak production of 175,000 barrels/day, produced by two FPSOs (Agogo and Ngoma)."
Regarding the start of production, the Chairman of the Board of Directors (PCA) of ANPG, Paulino Jerónimo, considered that this milestone reinforces the idea that a "right bet on technological innovation and the valorization of the country's natural resources" was made.
"This new milestone we've reached with the Agogo Project reinforces our conviction that we made the right bet on technological innovation and the valorization of Angola's natural resources, in an industry where combining sustainability, efficiency, and inclusion is essential. It's worth highlighting that this FPSO is prepared to reduce carbon emissions, aligning with the goals of the energy transition," he said.
"Furthermore, it demonstrates a strong investment in Angolan human capital, with 80 percent of the workforce being Angolan," added Paulino Jerónimo.
Azul Energy CEO Adriano Mongini considered the start of production to be very important for the company: "The start of production of the Agogo IWH project, approved just a few months after Azule Energy's creation, represents a crucial moment for our company."
The project "demonstrates not only our technical capabilities, but also our firm commitment to supporting Angola's energy landscape," he added.
"This achievement advances our production goals while demonstrating our dedication to responsible energy practices through pioneering emissions reduction initiatives. We are immensely proud to contribute to Angola's energy future and set new standards for environmental responsibility in offshore operations," he added.
Production on this project began just over two years after approval.
"Approved in February 2023, the Agogo IWH project will begin production in just 29 months, setting new benchmarks for the industry," ANPG reports, adding that "this result was possible thanks to a phased development approach, which allowed progress with execution while simultaneously conducting appraisal activities, significantly reducing the risks of fully exploiting the field."
The phase now achieved is the result of a "coordinated effort with more than 40 million man-hours executed in more than 15 countries," with the project leveraging "in-house expertise and a well-adjusted organizational model, which allowed for the parallel execution of activities in the reservoir, engineering, and procurement areas."
It is worth noting that the Agogo FPSO is environmentally friendly. "At a time when there is much talk about the negative effects of carbon emissions on the environment, Agogo has the distinction of being a 'green' FPSO. The entire topside and offshore systems were designed to be fully electric. The FPSO has a pilot carbon capture and storage (CCUS) unit to recover remaining CO2 volumes, being the first in Angola and worldwide with this type of technology on a pilot scale. Additionally, the FPSO features combined cycle power generation," the statement states.
Thus, with "these pioneering initiatives, along with several carbon offset projects currently under implementation, ANPG and the Block 15/06 Contractor Group are introducing the first carbon-neutral FPSO with operational carbon emissions."
Another milestone in the oil sector was the start of production of CLOV Phase 3 in Block 17.
"ANPG, TotalEnergies, and Block 17 partners Equinor, ExxonMobil, Azule Energy, and Sonangol E&P announce the start of production of CLOV Phase 3, a satellite project in the deep offshore area of Block 17, with an estimated production of 30,000 barrels/day," ANPG reported in another statement that VerAngola had access to.
