Angola | Re-launch of production by LNG consortium expected only in 2015

The Angola LNG consortium is only expected to start producing liquid natural gas (LNG) once again in 2015 after a stoppage in April of this year following an accident at the plant, the country’s Oil Minister said after a visit to the company’s facility in the city of Soy, Zaire province.
Botelho de Vasconcelos said the contractor working at the plant had given assurances that work would be carried out within the stipulated deadlines and noted that work “continued without interruption,” according to Angolan news agency Angop.
The minister also said that “the work is of a certain complexity,” and that the contractor was still studying the problem, but added he was certain that work would be finished within the expected deadline.
“It is important that the (natural gas liquefaction) plant starts producing again next year as it was an investment of great importance to the local economy,” said Botelho de Vasconcelos.
Angola LNG is a partnership between Sonangol, Chevron, BP, ENI and Total, and the Soyo plant cost US$10 billion and has a production capacity of 5.5 million tons of LNG per year.
The company has a fleet of seven transport ships and three LNG, liquid gas and compressed butane loading terminals.  MDT/Macauhub