The knowledge and strategic systematization of the immense hidden energy source In southern Africa recently a company was able to export surplus for the first time for the country, after years of burning, marking a milestone in history. The company in charge of supplying the energy is beginning to see the achievements of its investments and positions the country on the list of African producers.
What is the curious energy discovered in Africa and now exported?
According to data from the Oil & Gas Journal, the Republic of the Congo or Congo Brazzaville is a country with high levels of natural gas generation and confirms that during the first quarter of this year it had more than 10 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of reserves .
The most satisfactory fact is that towards the end of February of the current year, the African country exported its first LNG cargothrough a process of liquefaction of the total excess energy, which for years had been allocated to polluting processes.
This achievement is a collaborative project with the Italian company Eni that has been operating in the Republic of Congo for more than 55 years in the supply of natural gas to the Centrale Électrique du Congo (CEC) that offers energy to 70% of the country.
How does the African country produce LNG?
Through an initiative of the Eni company called “Congo LNG Project” The installation of two floating facilities in Congolese waters was planned for the liquefaction of surplus natural gas that was not consumed by the country.
This is how they began the first phase of the project corresponding to the construction and commissioning of the first Tango F LNG facility, moored next to the Excalibur Floating Storage Unit (FSU) from which it receives the natural gas.
The conventional practice that the African country carried out before the FLNG installation was the burning of natural gas that it was not consumed and resulted in surplus or was reinjected into the oil wells to improve the recovery of crude oil.
In this context, the World Bank Group assured that, during the year 2022, the Republic of Congo burned around 64 billion cubic feet (64 Bcf) of natural gas, which is equivalent to four times more than its total production.
How does the Republic of the Congo export liquefied natural gas?
The Tango FLNG installation has a liquefaction capacity of approximately 1 billion cubic meters per year (Bcma) and uses an innovative configuration called “split mooring” that attaches it to the FSU.
The total project hopes to enhance the production, development and logistics system implemented with natural gas, achieving approximately 4.5 Bcma of plateau gas liquefaction capacity through a two-phase process, of which the first has already been carried out. its first export.
Claudio Descalzi, executive director of Eni, stated that the expectation is that the project will reach a production capacity of 3 million tons of LNG per year (MTPA) approximately 4.5 billion cubic meters per year from 202.5
The project continues
The second FLNG facility planned to begin operations in 2025 is currently under construction and will have a capacity of 3.5 Bcma. The entire volume of LNG will be marketed by the company Eni, which is committed to eradicating burning habits.
In this context, the Italian company has demonstrated its strong commitment to the energy transition of the African nation and is part of numerous green projects, such as the recent delivery of the Oyo Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Center of Excellence.
The Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technological Innovation of the Republic of the Congo will be in charge of the Center together with UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization). The collaboration of private and government efforts is the most reliable path on the path to sustainability.
