The objective is to ensure greater flexibility and capacity for fuel distribution in all municipalities of the country already in the current fiscal year. The Jornal de Angola obtained the information through the report of the institution responsible for regulating the activity in the downstream (refined products).
According to the document, the strategy is inserted in the structural lines of the National and Sectoral Development Plan (PDN/PDS 2023-2027). It is also aligned with the completion of the construction of the 1st phase of the Barra do Dande Ocean Terminal (TOBD) scheduled for this January, with a capacity for reserves of around 582 thousand cubic meters.
The IRDP’s strategy, according to the report, will be consolidated with the completion of the modernization and expansion project of the Cabinda, Lobito, and Namibe ocean terminals by 2027, as well as the rehabilitation of the fuel facilities in Lucapa and Malanje, without losing sight of the construction of a petroleum products analysis laboratory by 2026.
The Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas, as the supervisory body of the IRDP, has designed this program, supported by administrative procedures aimed at improving distribution and modernizing the document management system for licensing, import authorizations, accreditation, and license renewals, which involves the implementation of an integrated system for the movement of petroleum products in the country (traceability).
The Mirempetaponta also highlights, among the strengths of the PDS, the increase in the IRDP’s response capacity, based on a strong commitment to the training and recruitment of human capital, whose level of excellence should be achieved through active participation in relations with similar entities, with emphasis on the Association of Portuguese-Speaking Energy Regulators (RELOP), the Southern African Energy Regulators Association (RERA), and the American Petroleum Institute (API) in order to strengthen the IRDP’s financing model.
The project to rehabilitate the Lucapa fuel storage facility (IC Lucapa), with a capacity of 4,000 cubic meters, is temporarily halted for a reassessment of investments, due to the emergence of ravines in the area surrounding the facility, at a time when the works to contain the advance of the ravines in that perimeter have already been completed.
However, a high pace of work is expected, considering the 89.5% physical execution, with a forecast of completion in the first half of 2025.
In the context of a project, the “upstream” is the initial phase, where ideas are matured and an action plan is drawn up. Also known as “upstream,” it represents the first stage of the oil supply chain, while the “downstream” represents the following phase, in which planning is executed and put into practice.
The downstream, also known as “downstream,” represents the final phase of the oil supply chain.
The “midstream” sector occupies an intermediate position in the oil supply chain.
A total of 898 service stations have been counted in the country
The Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute (IRDP) counted, up to September 2024, a total of 898 service stations (SS) in operational status, which represents a degree of execution of 98%, compared to the target set at 916 SS, within the framework of the program to improve the distribution of fuels and lubricants throughout the national territory.
In the previous year (2023), 912 units were registered, compared to the 898 programmed, which represents a degree of execution of the order of 102%, while for 2027, the forecast is to reach 952, with a significant impact on the expansion of the refined product distribution network until 2026, and the expansion plan of the distribution network for the period 2023 – 2027 foresees the construction of 77 service stations, 13 of which are the responsibility of Sonangol, Pumangol 15, Etu Energias 40 and TEMA with 6 SS.
In this context, statistics reveal that in 2023, 12 (twelve) service stations were implemented, that is, TotalEnergies with two (2), Etu Energias with the same number (2), Sonangol and Pumangol with one unit each, while the remaining six (6) resulted from the Sonangol/Bandeira Branca partnership.
In 2024, five (5) were implemented, with Pumangol owning three (3) conventional SS in Luanda Province, TotalEnergies implemented one (1) conventional SS in Luanda province, the same number by Etu Energias in the capital of the country.
Among the activities developed by the IRDP, it is worth highlighting the quarterly update and dissemination of the national mapping of service stations in operational status, with the clear identification of regions with the greatest deficit, holding seminars on the process of transferring competences and disseminating the regulatory framework of cross-border fuel trade covering the provinces of Cabinda, Lunda-Norte, Moxico, Cunene and Zaire, Lunda-Sul, Cunene, Namibe, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza – Sul, Benguela, Cabinda and Bengo.
The Evaluation Committee in charge of conducting the tender process is in the phase of evaluating the proposals submitted by the competitors identified to participate in the aforementioned procedure; Currently, the IRDP is evaluating the characteristics/conditions of the potential identified land, in terms of accessibility, existence of support infrastructures (water, sanitation, energy, etc.), as well as all public safety environments.
