Chevon’s Sanha Lean Gas Connection Project Achieves First Gas off Angola

(Credit: African Energy Chamber)

The Sanha Lean Gas Connection, led by Chevron’s Angolan subsidiary Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, has achieved first gas production as part of the project that will supply gas from Block 0’s Sanha field to Soyo power plants and the Angola LNG plant.

For Angola, the project represents a key step towards diversifying the economy, boosting energy security and fostering economic opportunities.

The project – which achieved FID in 2021 – comprised the design and development of a new platform, integrated with existing Sanha facilities and the Congo River Crossing Pipeline.

The first stage of the Sanha Lean Gas Connection project will deliver 80 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) of gas to the Angola LNG plant, while the second stage will add a further 220 mmscf/d through the commissioning of the Booster Compression module.

Chevron currently supplies the LNG facility with 300 mmscf/d via the Congo River Crossing Pipeline. With the start of operations at the Sanha Lean Gas Connection project, the company will increase feedstock by a further 300 mmscf/d, bringing the total amount to 600 mmscf/d. 

“Natural gas is the fuel of the future in Africa, and Chevron is making significant strides towards positioning Angola as a major gas producer. The milestone achieved by the company and its partners on Block 0 should be commended, serving as a critical step towards economic diversification and enhanced energy security in Angola. With projects such as this, Angola is affirming its position as a regional hub – both for crude oil and for LNG, LPG and associated gas products,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC).

The Sanha Lean Gas Connection project is just one of several gas projects underway in Angola. In November 2024, Angola’s New Gas Consortium – comprising energy companies Azule Energy (operator), Cabinda Gulf Oil Company, Sonangol E&P and TotalEnergies – signed all the requisite commercial agreements to expedite gas production at the country’s first non-associated gas project.

The $2.4 billion project – comprising the Quiluma and Maboqueiro gas fields – is currently 50% complete, with first production on track for late-2025 or early-2026. The deals will see the project start six months ahead of schedule, according to AEC.