The work, valued at 235 million dollars, began in the second half of last year. In an initial phase the bases were built to install and assemble the metallic structures. The last phase of the contract will include the installation of equipment.
The unit will help the country to increase the national production and, consequently, make the number of fuel imports decrease. Thus, Angola will be able to quadruple gasoline production: the refinery's gasoline production capacity will increase from 72,000 tons to 450,000 per year. An increase that represents a saving of 200 million dollars to the state coffers, says Angop.
Igor Francisco, director of the Luanda refinery, highlighted the fact that the new unit will allow for a 30 percent increase in gas production and indicated that this new unit will also allow for the creation of 800 new indirect jobs.
The refinery currently in operation is expected to be decommissioned for rehabilitation.
Igor Francisco also said that the maintenance done on the current infrastructure allowed the country to stop importing JET A1, used in airplanes. This self-sufficiency allowed the state to save about 250 million dollars.
