The Republic of Congo is preparing to launch the first phase of its Bango Kayo expansion project, developed in partnership with Chinese energy company Wing Wah, this year. Fabrice Okassa, Upstream Advisor to the Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo, said the onshore project will support the country’s diversification efforts during a discussion at the Angola Oil&Gas (AOG) conference on Wednesday. The discussion served as a prelude to the Congo Energy&Investment Forum (CIEF) – organized by Energy Capital&Power – which will take place on March 25-26, 2025.
As the fourth largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, the Republic of Congo aims to accelerate its diversification through investments in natural gas infrastructure. The Bango Kayo project is aligned with this objective. This multi-phase development will produce 30 billion cubic meters of associated gas over a 25-year period. In addition to Bango Kayo, the country delivered its first LNG cargo from the Tango FLNG facility – part of the Congo LNG project – in February 2024. This project aims to produce 3 million tonnes of LNG per year by 2025 with the launch of a second FLNG vessel.
“The idea and vision of the Minister and the government is to try to diversify the industry with different partners,” Okassa said. “There is a need to increase the pipeline of upstream investments and diversify through natural gas. We have many large companies operating in Congo, and this will help us diversify our capacities and address production challenges.”
The country has also set a target of increasing crude production to 500,000 barrels per day in the medium to long term. Various upstream projects are underway to achieve this goal. Energy giant TotalEnergies is investing $600 million in exploration and production in the country, with a particular focus on developing the Moho Nord field. The company has also increased its stake in the Mogo-Bilondo field to 63.5% while continuing to operate the deepwater Marine XX permit. In 2024, Trident Energy entered the market with the acquisition of Chevron’s Congolese assets, while independent company Perenco also acquired several oil permits from Eni’s portfolio.
The country is also looking to strengthen partnerships with its regional neighbors to boost production. According to Okassa, “With all these new projects, especially in mature fields and gas development, we are fully ready to collaborate with our counterparts. To optimize production, we must listen to our investors and put in place solid fiscal regimes. Our desire is to attract foreign investors and create synergies with our brothers in Gabon, Angola and elsewhere.”
Taking place in Brazzaville, CIEF highlights the growing role the country plays in the African energy landscape. Amidst the first LNG exports and expected oil production, the event will not only provide insights into the latest upstream developments, but also offer a strategic opportunity for new investors and project developers to join the market.
The CIEF is organized in partnership with the country’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and with the support of the African Energy Chamber. Visit www.CongoEnergyInvestment.com for more information.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
