The National Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG), the national oil company, sealed the $2bn deal with US giant Chevron, Italy's Eni, Total of France and UK BP. They are also partners in Angola LNG. It entails exploration, development and production of gas from five offshore blocks and cost sharing. When the project comes online, the consortium will deliver 420mn ft3/day to Angola LNG, an onshore processing and export terminal in northern Zaire area.

Chevron owns 31%, Eni 25.6%, Sonangol PP 18.8% and BP and Total each hold 11.8% of the 5.2mn metric tons/yr LNG facility that will process and market the gas.

Angola, with an estimated 11 trillion ft3 of gas, most of it from deep sea, produces between 800mn and 900mn ft3/d.

ANPG president, Paulino Jeronimo, said that apart from creating jobs for locals, the project would benefit Angola's economy by allowing for continuous supply of gas to Angola LNG as well as to the 750-MW Soyo combined cycle plant. And a fertilizer manufacturing plant that Angola wants to build will be fed by the project too.

Russian company Uralchem signed a memorandum of understanding with Angola during the Russia - Africa Economic forum in late October. It will spend about $1.3bn building the plant, which will produce 1.2mn mt/yr of urea.