By Ejekwu Chidiebere
Energy Window International (Media) – Eni has just announced the start-up – quite ahead of the planned schedule – of Phase 2 of its Congo LNG project, with the goal of exporting the first LNG cargo in early 2026. This Eni told Energy Window International (Media) in an email, followed the arrival of the Nguya FLNG floating liquefaction unit and the introduction of gas into the new offshore infrastructure system.
Congo LNG Phase 2 according to the Italian Eni will feature three production platforms as well as the Scarabeo 5 unit dedicated to gas treatment and compression and the Nguya FLNG for liquefaction and export, bringing the overall project’s capacity to 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), equivalent to 4.5 billion cubic meters per year.
The Company said this integrated configuration would enable the full development of gas resources from the offshore Nené and Litchendjili fields, in the Marine XII license. It will also ensure flexible, phased management of volumes while guaranteeing a steady flow to both the Tango FLNG unit, operational since late 2023, and the Nguya FLNG.
“Phase 2 has come on stream ahead of the project schedule, just 35 months after construction of the Nguya FLNG began, setting a new benchmark within the industry for execution speed and efficiency”, Eni said.
It said the milestone was achieved through a combination of technological innovation, rigorous industrial planning, and strong engagement with local stakeholders. Adding that a significant part of the project was carried out entirely in Congo, enhancing the skills of the local workforce and further strengthening the national industrial sector.
The Nguya FLNG, 376 meters long and 60 meters wide according to the company employs advanced technologies to reduce its carbon footprint and is designed to process gas with different compositions, supporting the potential development of additional fields in the area. It said the Scarabeo 5, converted from a drilling rig into a gas treatment, separation, and compression unit, also incorporates decarbonization-oriented solutions, serving as a concrete example of circular economy and industrial reuse.
Eni said it has been present in the Republic of the Congo for over 55 years and has strongly committed to developing the country’s significant gas resources. The company supplies gas to the Centrale Électrique du Congo, which provides 70% of the nation’s power generation capacity and contributing, according to Eni, to the upgrade of the transmission network through the rehabilitation of the high-voltage line between Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville. Eni also said it is active in initiatives supporting the energy transition, such as the agri-feedstock project which integrates the country into the biofuel value chain and represents an important driver of development for the agro-industrial sector. It also said it is further engaging in a wide range of initiatives aimed at improving local communities’ access to energy, water, healthcare, and economic diversification.