José Barroso, who was speaking in Luanda at the opening of the 2nd Angola Oil and Gas Technology and Services Conference (AOTC), promoted by the Association of Angolan Oil Industry Service Providers (AECIPA) assured that the energy transition "is a concern of Angola", a country that favors the production and consumption of energy from renewable sources, in particular hydroelectric dams.
"However, this objective must be harmonized with the continued exploration of oil and gas for the sustainability of its economy and to finance the efforts of this transition", he underlined.
For the secretary of State, service providers "may play a fundamental role, developing and bringing to the national market, state-of-the-art equipment and technology that ensure more efficient oil operations and less emission of greenhouse gases" and that help to mitigate the effects of the sharp decline in production.
On the other hand, the energy transition should also serve for international technology companies to create 'joint ventures' with national partners "in order to monitor and benefit from the business opportunities that should arise around the value chain" of this industry, since the 'upstream' (exploration, drilling and production) to 'downstream' (transport, distribution and commercialization).
José Barros also addressed the issue of incorporating local content in the oil sector, pointing to the recently published list with the requirements that enable commercial companies, and in particular those under Angolan law, to provide services to the oil industry in Angola.
"The bases are laid for national businessmen to compete and participate in tenders for the supply of materials and equipment, goods and services according to the regimes defined in the legislation on local content", he said, indicating that 232 companies are registered in Angola local content that can guarantee more than 16 thousand jobs, mainly for Angolan staff and technicians.
He also alluded to the effects of the pandemic on the sector, which was forced to take severe restriction measures, including limited mobility, which led a large part of the companies to work "in conditions of extreme difficulties and with limited resources", with drilling halted for completed between March and April 2020.
Still, he highlighted the positive attitude of the industry, in particular service providers "who have shown adaptability, understanding, but above all resilience".
Angola is the third largest African oil producer and depends heavily on the income generated by the export of this raw material.
