TotalEnergies expands Angola operations with $6bn deepwater project, sustainability initiatives
Benjamin Orisemeke
TotalEnergies is driving new upstream programs in Angola – from offshore exploration to infill drilling to greenfield projects – as outlined by Martin Deffontaines, Managing Director of TotalEnergies Angola during the Angola Oil & Gas conference & exhibition.
In an on-stage interview with Verner Ayukegba, Senior Vice President of the African Energy Chamber, Deffontaines discussed the company’s Kaminho Deepwater Development, which secured a $6-billion FID in May this year.
The project represents the first very large deepwater development in the Kwanza Basin and aims to develop the Cameia and Golfinho fields, with a production plateau of 70,000 barrels per day and target start-up of 2028.
He said, “It has been a collective effort by the technical teams and partners – Sonangol, Petronas and the ANPG. Once the design was established and optimized, we had to make it commercial. Thanks to the contractual terms we got from the ANPG, it became a project and was validated in May. It’s a game changer for Angola and for TotalEnergies.”
According to Deffontaines, the Kaminho project employs an “ultra-modern design” with an all-electric FPSO – designed to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and eliminate routine flaring, with all associated gas to be fully reinjected into the reservoirs – and aligns with TotalEnergies’ commitment to sustainability and low-carbon energy production.
Deffontaines added, “The world is changing and we have to adapt. We are committed to net-zero by 2050 as a company. We are closing flaring at all our FPSOs, of which we currently operate six in Angola. We will close the Dalia FPSO flare, which will save around 50,000 KT of carbon emissions per year. It’s a permanent effort we are making,”
Deffontaines also highlighted the role of local subcontractors in TotalEnergies’ projects and installations. Since 2023, the operator has added 77 local entities to its supplier base and helped local companies to improve their technical qualifications to meet TotalEnergies’ call for tenders. In addition, TotalEnergies recently launched an incubator program to help 100 young Angolans set up their businesses.
“We have received 3,000 candidate projects, with very good ideas coming from agriculture, digital, tourism, fashion and so forth. We are committed to selecting 100 projects and providing support, which can be access to project financing or different competencies to create their business,” he said.
