The African Energy Chamber (AEC) – the voice of the African energy sector – conducted a tour of Wing Wah’s project near Pointe Noire during a working visit to the country this week. A strong advocate for the development of oil and gas in Africa, the AEC believes that hydrocarbons are the solution for making energy poverty history by 2030.
Project’s such as Wing Wah’s in the Republic of the Congo are not only a testament to the role international partnerships play in developing African oil and gas resources but to the potential for large-scale, integrated developments across the continent. The Ministry of Hydrocarbons – led by Minister Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua – and the country’s NOC Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo – led by Managing Director Maixent Raoul Ominga – have provided the much-needed support that companies such as Wing Wah need to develop innovative projects, and the AEC commends them for the progress made thus far.
Bango Kayo: An Innovative Oil & Gas Venture
The Bango Kayo conventional oilfield is a producing block operated by Wing Wah, which features 237 wells that have been drilled to date. Currently, the field is producing 45,000 bpd and is nearing its peak production of 50,000 bpd. In addition to oil production, Wing Wah is implementing a phased expansion and development approach to monetize previously-flared gas resources.
The project incorporates the development of three trains. The first has a capacity of one million cubic meters per day (mcm/d), while the second and third trains will have a capacity of two mcm/d each. The second and third trains are anticipated to come online by March 2025 and December 2025, respectively, and will bring the total capacity of the project to five mcm/b. In April 2024,
Integration: A Tool for Maximizing Efficiency and Scalability
Wing Wah’s project in the Republic of the Congo is underpinned by a focus on integration and scalability. The structure of the facilities has been planned in a way that prioritizes efficiency, reduces emissions and promotes scalability.
Additionally, each unit at the facility has its own power generation solution which are scalable in increments of 2 MW. Currently, 20 MW is installed, with generators utilizing gas from associated blocks. As production increases, so can power generation, thereby ensuring scalability and durability.
As such, the facility provides a quintessence of oil and gas integration. The development approach features fast construction, fast commissioning and quick, efficient operations. Wing Wah are using state-of-the-art equipment and have an organized layout of the overall infrastructure and storage.
Prioritizing Local Community Development
In addition to project efficiency, the Bango Kayo development has been constructed in a way that takes into account the needs of local communities. All of the processing facilities have on-site accommodation, with senior management on-call to ensure a constant review of work. Currently, 3,300 people are employed at the project, with 90% of the workforce Congolese.
“Wing Wah’s integrated project in the Republic of the Congo is a model that can and must be replicated in other oil and gas producing nations in Africa. The project’s focus on scalability ensures production is not limited to specific blocks, but rather, infrastructure can be easily tied into new concessions as exploration ramps up across the country.
SOURCE
African Energy Chamber