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SONANGOL UNIVERSO
Universo
ISSUE 45 | MARCH 2015
www.universo-magazine.com
SUBSIDIARY
SONILS’ OFFSHORE
SUPPORT ROLE
UPSTREAM
EXXONMOBIL
IN ANGOLA
On to
2 million
barrels!
ISSUE 45 – MARCH 2015
Sonangol E.P. outlines
investment plans
CULTURE
THE ART OF
TECHNOLOGY
OVERVIEW
Universo is the international
magazine of Sonangol
President
Francisco de Lemos José Maria
Executive administrators:
Anabela Soares de Brito da Fonseca,
Ana Joaquina Van-Dúnem Alves da Costa,
Fernandes Gaspar Bernardo Mateus,
Fernando Joaquim Roberto,
Mateus Sebastião Francisco Neto,
Paulino Fernando Carvalho Jerónimo
Angop
Non-executive administrators:
Albina Assis Africano, José Gime,
André Lelo, José Paiva
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Sonangol Department for
Communication & Image Director
Mateus Cristóvão Benza
President José Eduardo dos Santos, with Presidents Kabila (DRC) on his left
and Lungu (Zambia) on his right, opens the Benguela Railway
Corporate Communications Assistants
Nadiejda Santos, Paula Almeida,
Hélder Sirgado, Kimesso Kissoka
Publisher: Sheila O’Callaghan
Editor: John Kolodziejski
Managing Editor: Mauro Perillo
Art Director: Tony Hill
Sub Editor: Brian MacReamoinn
Proofreading: Gail Nelson-Bonebrake
Circulation Manager: Matthew Alexander
Production Assistant: Sebnem Brown
AFRICAN GATEWAY
P
resident José Eduardo dos Santos’ official opening
of Angola’s 1,344km Benguela Railway on February
14 represents an enormous step-change not only in
the country’s own logistics system, but also in the broader
development of the African economy.
Project Consultant: Nathalie MacCarthy
Completion of the $1.9 billion line refurbishment now
Group President: John Charles Gasser
offers copper-rich neighbours Zambia and the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC), whose presidents also attended
the event, a faster and shorter route to the sea and markets
Universo is produced by Impact Media Custom Publishing.
The views expressed in the publication are not necessarily
those of Sonangol or the publishers. Reproduction in whole
or in part without prior permission is prohibited.
with cheaper fuel, especially once the Lobito oil refinery starts
up in 2017, as well as greater flows of farm produce within
and between countries. Huge areas of potential farmland in
This magazine is distributed to a closed circulation.
To receive a free copy:
circulation@universo-magazine.com
Circulation: 15,000
eastern Angola and western Zambia will now have easier
Davenport House, 16 Pepper Street, London E14 9RP
United Kingdom
Tel + 44 20 7510 9595 | Fax +44 20 7510 9596
sonangol@impact-media.com
www.universo-magazine.com
www.sonangol.co.ao
hld.gci@sonangol.co.ao
The inauguration of the Benguela Railway marks
Front cover: Kostadin Luchansky
Universo is printed on FSC approved stock
2
abroad. The new connection will also provide central Africa
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
access to international markets and also the chance to help
solve the continent’s enduring risk of food scarcity.
the end of the first phase of renovation of Angola’s basic
infrastructure. Its multiple effects on economic growth will
soon be felt over a much larger area.
John Kolodziejski
Editor
CONTENTS
4
3
A roundup of national and international news concerning Sonangol
NEWS BRIEFING
and Angola.
12
12
3
SONAIR: UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE
Sonangol’s air transport arm goes from strength to strength.
Universo monitors its progress to date.
20
3
SONILS OSC: SERVING ANGOLA
20
Angolan economy.
30
3
ExxonMobil
The Sonils oil service centre plays a pivotal role in the
EXXONMOBIL IN ANGOLA: HAPPY 21ST
We take stock of ExxonMobil’s successful operations in Angola as it
celebrates a 21-year presence in the country.
36
3
30
ISPTEC: THE EDUCATION ANGOLA NEEDS
Universo looks at what is on offer for students at the fast-growing
vocational college.
42
3
THE SCIENCE OF ART
42
Angolan artist Daniela Ribeiro examines the interfaces between art
and technology.
48
3
TARGET: TWO MILLION BARRELS
Production and investment updates for Sonangol.
48
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
3
NEWS BRIEFING
ANGOLAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENTS MEET
3 President José Eduardo
dos Santos met South African
President
Jacob
Zuma
in
Luanda on January 13 to discuss
the current political, military
and security situation in the
Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC), as well as regional
and international current affairs.
President dos Santos chairs
the International Conference on
the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR),
which works towards peace
and security in the region.
President Zuma is co-ordinator
of the Organ for Politics,
Defence and Security of the
Southern African Development
Community (SADC) of which
Angop
Angola is a member.
FIRST PRIVATE
OIL COLLEGE
ANGOLAN STOCK MARKET LAUNCHED
3 The Angolan Stock Exchange BODIVA (Bolsa da Dívida e Valores de
Angola) officially opened for business on December 19. The exchange will
initially only negotiate the public (treasury) debt.
3 Angola has opened its first private oil training
António Gomes Furtado, president of BODIVA’s board and former
college, the Oil Research and Studies Institute (IPEP),
governor of Angola’s Central Bank (Banco Nacional de Angola - BNA), said
on a purpose-built campus in the Morro Bento district
corporate debt would be traded within the next two years. The exchange’s
of Luanda.
first client was Banco de Fomento de Angola (BFA) on January 26.
said the new college will help train specialists for the oil
industry and support the Angolanisation of its workforce.
Courses offered include Oil Law, Drilling and
Well Management and Well Management, Refining
Techniques, Health and Safety, Instrumentation Methods,
Telecommunications Systems, Oil Industry Business
Management and Environmental Safety Management.
4
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
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IPEP’s board president, João da Cunha e Sousa,
NEWS BRIEFING
SONANGOL GETS CHINESE LOAN
3 China has lent Sonangol $2 billion to support the expansion of oil and gas projects. Sonangol board president Francisco de
Lemos José Maria and the president of the China Development Bank, Zheng Zhijie, signed the contract in Beijing on December 12.
Angola is currently China’s second largest oil supplier.
SONANGOL TANKER POOL GROWS
3 Sonangol has ordered two new oil tankers
from South Korean company Daewoo
Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
(DSME). The companies signed the $140
million deal in Seoul on December 15. The
two Suezmax (maximum size for using the
Suez Canal) vessels will be 274 metres
long and 48 metres wide and each will
weigh 156,290dwt (dry weight tonnes).
Norwegian company DNV-GL will
supervise construction of the ships, which
DSME will deliver in 2017. Sonangol also
currently has two oil prospecting ships
under construction at DSME for delivery by
June 2016.
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
5
NEWS BRIEFING
3 José Pedro de Morais took office as the new governor of Angola’s Central Bank (Banco
Nacional de Angola - BNA) on January 23. He replaced José de Lima Massano, who resigned
after serving more than four years in the post.
ANGOLAN STEERS EXPO MILANO 2015
3 Angola’s former oil minister and Sonangol nonexecutive administrator, Albina Assis Africano, is
the first African to be president of an Expo steering
commission and is currently heavily involved in
the preparatory work for Expo Milano 2015. The
international exhibition takes place in the Italian city
from May 1 to October 31.
Assis Africano has huge experience in the area. This
year she is commissioner of the Angola pavilion and was previously
a commissioner general at Aichi Expo (Japan 2005), Zaragoza (Spain
2008), Shanghai (China 2010) and Yeosu (Korea 2012).
Expo Milano 2015’s theme is Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life
6
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
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and will have 140 participating countries.
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Angop
NEW CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR
NEWS BRIEFING
SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND
BACKS INFRASTRUCTURE
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EAST TIMOR PROSPECTING INVITATION
3 Angola’s sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is
investing $1.6 billion in a special fund for African
infrastructure and hotels. Angola established the
SWF in 2012 with initial capital of $5 billion from
the country’s oil sales. As well as investing in
energy, transport and industrial projects, Angola
3 East Timor has invited Sonangol to
will use $500 million to buy hotels, which will be
prospect for oil on its territory. The
managed by private international groups.
country’s deputy minister for foreign
One investment is in the Angolan Hotel
affairs and co-operation, Constâncio
Management Academy, now under construction
Pinto made the offer during a meeting in Brasilia in January with Angola’s
in Benguela. Teachers from the prestigious
foreign minister, Georges Chikoti (pictured below).
Lausanne Hotel School (Switzerland) will provide
“We know that Sonangol is already in Asia – in Singapore – and we want
it to expand its activity in East Timor. We have natural resources offshore
training for the students who will eventually run
Angola’s rapidly-expanding hotel sector.
and onshore and we believe that the Angolan oil company may invest in
prospecting and exploration for oil,” Pinto explained. Both Angola and the
Asian nation are former Portuguese colonies.
TRAIN TAKES THE STRAIN
3 Sonangol is developing alternative means to transport oil and diesel to
its eastern provinces: Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul and Moxico. The new route
uses the Benguela Railway via Huambo and Luena. Sonangol took the rail
option after a key road bridge in Lunda Sul collapsed, cutting access to
the provinces. The success of the project has been such that Sonangol has
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decided to use rail transport in future even when road access resumes.
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NEWS BRIEFING
BIOCOM ENDS BETA PHASE
COHYDRO CO-OPERATION
3 Biocom (Companhia de Bioenergia de Angola)
has completed its experimental period of producing
3 Sonangol signed a partnership agreement in January with Cohydro SA of
sugar and ethanol and generating energy.
the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to jointly drill oil and gas. Work
Official inauguration of the plant at Cacuso in
Malange province, due by March, will ramp up
will target the corridor between DRC and Angola in the area known as the
‘zone of common interest’.
annual output to 256,000 tonnes of sugar, 28,000
cubic metres of ethanol and generation of 235GW
of electricity.
The Biocom project is a partnership between
Angolan private investment agency ANIP and
Sonangol Holdings with 20 per cent, and Angolan
private group Damer and Brazil’s Odebrecht, each
with 40 per cent.
The complex employs 2,700 workers and also
supports 30,000 families in the surrounding area
with health, education and farming projects.
ENI CONTINUES
DRILLING
3 Italian oil company
Eni has been granted a
ANGOLA’S SLAM DUNK
three-year extension to
its agreement to drill
oil in Angola’s Block
15/06.
The
original
arrangement ended in November 2014.
The extension includes drilling in the
estimated 100 million barrel Reco-Reco
discovery. Since taking on the block in 2006,
Eni has discovered more than 3 billion barrels
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of oil and 850 million barrels in reserves.
The plan is to drill three wells and undertake
1,000 sq kms’ of 3D seismic mapping.
Eni, the operator, and Sonangol P&P
3 Angola’s female basket team won the trophy at the fourth Southern Africa
each have a 35 per cent stake in Block 15/06,
Development Community games beating Mozambique 41–39. It was the women’s
while SSI Fifteen has 25 per cent and Falcon
third consecutive gold in the regional championship, which was held in December
Oil Holding Angola has 5 per cent.
in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, Angola’s men completed ‘the double’ over Mozambique by
winning their competition 54–49 in the final.
8
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
NEWS BRIEFING
FPSO N’GOMA READY FOR ACTION
3 SBM Offshore received a formal Production Readiness Notice
(PRN) in January for FPSO N’Goma from its client Eni, the operator of
Block 15/06. This follows first oil in November 2014 and completion
of a 72-hour continuous production test in early December 2014. The
FPSO is on hire to Eni for 12 years starting from November 28, 2014.
Kostadin Luchansky
N’Goma will work on Eni’s West Hub in Block 15/06.
CABINDA $400M PORT PROJECT
MALANGE WRITER WINS SONANGOL PRIZE
3 Work on a new $400 million deepwater port in Cabinda
province is to begin in June 2015.
3 Entre a Verdade e a Mentira (Between Truth and Lies), a romance
The port will be located at Caio, 15km north of
by Malange author João Luís Oliveira, has won the 2015 Sonangol
Cabinda, and is expected to become an important logistics
Revelation Literature Prize. The $10,000 prize was first awarded in 1987.
centre for the whole Lower Congo Basin area, including
Jury president and secretary of state for culture Cornélio Calei
the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
said Oliveira won the prize because his book showed mastery of
Caio will serve not only long-distance shipping but
language and narrative as well as “truths hidden within the letters”.
also roll-on, roll-off freight and passenger coastal services
“We’re in a period of constructing the country’s identity, and
linking Cabinda with Soyo and Luanda. Construction is
scheduled to take 24 months and includes a 775-metre
quay with a 12.5-metre-deep mooring.
literature has a special role to play,” said Calei.
Another author, Carlos Nelson Álvaro Sebastião, received an
honourable mention for his book Uma Noite e Três Sonhos (One Night
and Three Dreams).
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
9
NEWS BRIEFING
REVAMPED BENGUELA RAILWAY REACHES DRC
SONANGOL
SCHOLARSHIPS
IN FRANCE
3 Reconstruction of the 1,344km
3 France is to accept 50 Angolan
has been completed, and now reaches the
students as part of a scholarship
border with the Democratic Republic of
agreement with Sonangol E.P. The
the Congo (DRC). President José Eduardo
protocol was signed by the board
dos Santos led the official inauguration
president of Sonangol Academy,
ceremony on February 14.
Benguela Railway, Angola’s longest line,
Dr. Baltazar Miguel, and the French
The railway connects the Atlantic port
ambassador to Angola, Jean-
of Lobito to networks in central, eastern
Claude Moyret. The students will
and southern Africa. The line’s original
attend higher education courses
purpose was to export copper faster
in Engineering and Technology,
from central Africa and there are plans
Geosciences and Economics.
to resume this traffic.
FMC NETS $393M CONTRACT
3 FMC Technologies announced on
December 18 that it had received a
$393 million order from Eni Angola to
development, in which Sonangol P&P
has a 35 per cent interest.
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its deepwater Block 15/06 East Hub
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supply subsea production systems for
ANGOLA IN NUMBERS
12 MILLION
TONNES
$1.6 BILLION
$2.4 BILLION
10,000
cargo handled at
Port of Luanda in 2014
amount ExxonMobil spent on
Kizomba Satellites Phase Two
(first oil due late 2015)
10
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
Angola’s sovereign wealth
fund investment in African
infrastructure and hotels
personnel working at Sonils Oil
Service Centre, Luanda
$600
MILLION
SonAir’s annual turnover
EXPO
SONAEXPO 2015
3 Sonangol E.P. held its second exhibition of
products and services: SonaExpo 2015 between
February 25 and 28 as part of the company’s
39th anniversary commemorations.
The exhibition, open to the general public,
took place at the main square on the shore
of Luanda Bay, a five-minute walk from
Sonangol’s headquarters.
12 of Sonangol’s subsidiaries were
represented at SonaExpo 2015 and 26 industrial
units that belong to Sonangol Investimentos
Industriais, SIIND.
The colourful stalls displaying Sonangol’s
products and services were arrayed in the two
huge white exhibition tents covering a total
Sonangol President
Francisco de Lemos José Maria
Brazuk Ltd
floor space of 2,100 square metres.
Sonangol Department for Communication and Image
Director Mateus Cristóvão Benza
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
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SonAir Super Puma helicopter at CLOV FPSO
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SONANGOL UNIVERSO
Sonangol’s air transport subsidiary, SonAir, has
performed a vital supporting role in Angola’s
booming oil operations for 35 years.
Universo inspects the fleet and
recounts the story so far
SonAir:
UPLIFTING
EXPERIENCE
T
he long jumble of hangars, parked aircraft,
support vehicles and passenger terminals
reveals the ad hoc growth of Luanda’s 4 de
Fevereiro International Airport over the past halfcentury. Amid this maze of buildings and purposeful
activity, SonAir’s sleekly pristine, white Super Puma
EC225 helicopters attract the eye.
Set back from the airport apron, where humid heat
rises from concrete surfaces, is the cool, spacious, ordered
hangar containing the bulk of the company’s helicopter
fleet. Airbus Helicopters and Sikorsky provide SonAir with
the shiny modern workhorses capable of ferrying up to 19
people at a time out to offshore platforms.
SonAir enjoys a strong international reputation and
has earned praise from its demanding international
oil company clientele, who rate it in the top ten in its
field worldwide.
The Angolan company has come a long way since
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
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SUBSIDIARY
its foundation in 1979, when staff
“There’s no possible comparison
[Sonangol E.P.] of the need to strengthen
numbered just four and they managed
between what was practised three and
all operations, including supplies and
a half decades ago and today. They are
maintenance, from a single room in
completely different situations, with
to cover the needs of the number of
Sonangol’s old downtown headquarters
totally different solutions. However,
machines versus the number of people.
before moving to an on-site location at
the focus was and continues to be the
This is thanks to the change in training
the airport.
same: that is, to serve the oil industry,”
investment policy which gives priority
said Andrade.
to our core business, something that
“They were difficult years to begin
with,” recalled João Alves Andrade, board
president of SonAir. “In 1980 we began
SonAir’s fleet also had modest
beginnings.
this business,” he said.
“We are close to the ideal ratio
we failed to do for some time in the
past. This policy should be a continuous
the process of recruitment and selection
“The first fixed-wing aircraft was a
of the first trainee pilots and mechanics.
Dakota DC-3, bought from TAAG [Angolan
growth, the demands of the market and
At that time we were jacks-of-all-trades,”
Airlines], and the first helicopter was an
refreshing the workers’ age range.
Andrade explained. “We did everything,
Alouette III, leased from Heli-Union. Our
from dispatching a flight to ordering the
first client was Texaco.”
catering and repairing breakdowns and
process, taking into account the fleet’s
“We are also dedicating special
attention to our support areas, seeking
efficiency and operational excellence.
doing the maintenance. And all this was
Personnel pride
on foot! We didn’t have a car to drive
Andrade said he has many reasons to be
recognition by our clients of the high-
around the airport area. But we did these
proud of SonAir.
quality standards of service, safety and
things with passion, with love, with
“First of all, I would like to mention
“Another source of pride is
reliability we provide by their choosing
dedication. We transformed the difficulties
my team, which is made up of all
SonAir, and lastly, our certification and
into simple tasks, but they were well
SonAir’s workers, our main asset, with
recognition by the aeronautical authority
done,” he remembered with affection.
whom I have the greatest pride in
as an approved air operator,” he added.
Ten years later, SonAir’s personnel
working. I’m also proud to see and know
“When we hear clients say that we
had risen to 120. Today the company’s
the record of growth of this company
have nothing to learn from the big world
staff numbers a total of 997 and all are
over the past 35 years. The basis of this
operators in terms of operations and
comfortably accommodated in an office
growth is its workers and the clear-
service provision, it’s recognition of our
purpose-built in 2005.
sighted vision of the parent company
know-how.”
SonAir key data
Milestones
Key numbers
Operational bases
1979 3 Beginning of operations as Sonangol
Aeronautical Division
997 total staff
3 Luanda
240 pilots
3 Soyo
157 engineers
3 Catumbela
33 helicopters
3 Benguela
24 planes
3 Houston, Texas
1985 3 Evolved to business unit Direcção de
Aeronáutica (DAR) with slightly more autonomy
1998 3 Constituted as SonAir Serviço Aéreo SA (90%
Sonangol, 10% Sonangol Holdings)
2005 3 Inauguration of SonAir head office at
Luanda airport
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SONANGOL UNIVERSO
SUBSIDIARY
Brazuk Ltd
What does SonAir do?
Helicopter pilot Neusa Oliveira
Helicopter services
behalf of SonAir and reserved for United States-Africa Energy
SonAir provides a frequent service of offshore helicopter
Association (USAEA) members. Planes are also available for
flights to ferry personnel to and from offshore oil platforms
short-term contracts such as carrying government officials
where most Angolan oil and gas drilling takes place. South of
to Angola’s more remote provinces. This secondary market
the River Zaire, the company provides almost all helicopter
accounts for 21.5 per cent of earnings.
services in Angola, which accounts for around 54.7 per cent of
its total annual revenues of over $600 million.
The fleet is dedicated to supporting oil operating
Aircraft fleet
In 2014, the fleet comprised a total of 57 aircraft, of which
companies. The growth of helicopter numbers from 16 to 30
SonAir operated 50 (28 helicopters and 22 planes) and sub-
in the past decade, and the employment of larger models,
contracted other outfits for the remaining seven.
reflect Angola’s expansion into its deepwater oilfields which
Since its foundation in 1979, the Sonangol subsidiary
lie further offshore. Block 31 at 384km from Luanda is the
has utilised a large range of aircraft. Its first helicopter was
longest distance helicopters travel offshore, and the shortest
an Alouette III, and today it flies Dauphin N3, Sikorsky C++,
distance is 112km (Block 21).
Super Puma 332 L2 and EC225. SonAir’s first plane was a
Fleet expansion also tracks the increasing number of oil
operating companies that have flocked to the country.
Dakota DC-3; the fleet now includes Beechcraft 1900, Twin
Otter and Boeing 737-700 planes.
Over the past 10 years SonAir has expanded and adapted
SonAir is the largest helicopter operator in Africa as well
its aircraft fleet from a total of 43 to 57 while simultaneously
as the main Super Puma EC225 helicopters user and biggest
reducing the number of helicopter types it operates from
owner of Sikorsky C++ machines.
six to four, and plane models from eight to four. This
concentration permits a greater focus and development of
Pilot at the controls
expertise, especially in maintenance procedures.
Fixed-wing operations
SonAir’s fixed-wing flights regularly serve the Angolan cities
of Soyo, Catumbela and Lubango. It is also responsible for
the only direct charter passenger service and cargo transport
between Luanda and Houston, which brings in 23.7 per cent
of revenue. A Boeing 747-400 aircraft is used for this flight,
Brazuk Ltd
known as the Houston Express. It is operated by Atlas Air on
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
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SUBSIDIARY
As regards plans to open up
“The process of Angolanisation
Angola’s offshore air service market to
is under way and we expect to have
competition, the president was bullish.
a significant reduction in expatriate
“Our market positioning today is
labour in 2017, of the order of 35-40 per
to treat our activity as if it were within
cent, and in 2022 to have no [external]
an environment of competition, and
dependency at all.”
it isn’t SonAir who has to open up. It’s
Expatriates account for 123 of
up to the market itself to offer such
the current 997-strong highly-skilled
opportunities, and whoever has claws,
workforce, which includes 240 pilots and
to grab them. That’s why we seek the
157 engineers.
highest standards of operation, the
The company is also keen to certify
best leading-edge technology, the best
its operations and processes to the
systems, the best staff and the best
highest international standard.
infrastructure, so that whoever enters
“We are in the process of
this market will find all these barriers
ISO 9001:2008 certification. We already
and think twice about whether it’s
have an Air Operator Certificate [AOC]
worthwhile or not.”
and we’re on the way to achieving
SonAir is also increasing the
proportion of Angolans it employs.
Approved Maintenance Organization
[AMO] certification.”
The subsidiary undergoes client audits
“The focus was and continues
to be the same; that is,
to serve the oil industry”
– João Alves Andrade,
Brazuk Ltd
SonAir board president
once or twice a year, and is approved by
all major oil companies. It also meets
Angola’s National Institute of Civil
Aviation (INAVIC) norms and regulations
and has been certified since 2010
according to International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) standards.
Andrade listed SonAir’s investment
plans: “Apart from the normal process
of acquiring aircraft according to the
Part of SonAir’s 33-strong helicopter fleet
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SONANGOL UNIVERSO
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market, we are committed to investing
Maria Gervásio – elite pilot
in the following projects: creation of
Worldwide there are just 450 female
the Maintenance Repair Organisation
captains, and SonAir’s Maria Gervásio is
hours and a minimum of 40 hours a
(MRO); a helicopter passenger terminal;
a proud member of this elite group.
month. These are usually oil industry
helibase operations at Soyo, at Benguela
ruled out for Maria, the eldest child.
Gervásio flies a maximum of 80
Gervásio is only Angola’s second
and government flights. In the past she
[in the short term] and at Namibe
woman captain (Comandante), following
has been temporarily posted to provincial
[long term]. In terms of expanding
in the footsteps of Alexandra Lima, who
airports for tasks such as ferrying refugees.
business, we have the prospect of
was Africa’s first and is now a senior
She has also flown outside Angola to
internationalising our operations,
pilot at TAAG.
South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and the
making our vision a reality.”
SonAir clients include Total, BP, Eni,
A passion for life in the air was
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
evident in the sparkle of her eyes:
“Flying is a profession which is much
Esso, Sonangol P&P, Chevron, Cobalt,
“Nothing is perfect except flying,”
admired and feared in women’s circles,
ALNG, Statoil, Repsol, ConocoPhillips,
she says. She became a pilot in 2001.
and as far as men are concerned there
Petrobras and Maersk, as well as
She reached her current top fixed-
is still some visible machismo. It wasn’t
subcontractors such as Halliburton,
wing piloting position in 2003 and has
easy to conquer my own space and the
Schlumberger, GE and Transocean.
accumulated a massive 5,600 hours of
respect my profession demands. Being
flying time.
a woman in an environment dominated
SonAir’s women pilots –
making dreams possible
Her first sight of plane controls
by men means one is always viewed
close up was at the age of 15 when, on
with a certain lack of confidence and
There are 130,000 airline pilots
a flight to Brazil from Luanda, she was
sometimes underestimated, but this is
worldwide, and of these only 4,000 are
allowed into the cockpit. “I thought it
good because it acts as an incentive to
women, according to the International
was fantastic. I loved all the lights and
prove that, being a woman, I can also be
Society of Women Airline Pilots. A major
signals. I thought it was a fantasy to be a
competent,” she explained.
carrier such as British Airways has 3,500
pilot, but I became one when I was 26.”
pilots with just 200 females.
the mother of two children (she flew
choice of profession. Her mother was a
until her fourth month of pregnancy),
especially the case on the African
strong-willed woman who did military
Gervásio said SonAir is a great company
continent, but SonAir can boast two
service in the masculine world of the
to work for. The fact that Angola’s
women pilots, one a plane captain and
army, so an option for life in another
provincial airports do not have landing
the other flying helicopter services.
male-dominated profession could not be
lights means that she always flies in the
daytime and goes home to her family at
the end of each day.
Gervásio has largely managed to
SonAir pilot Maria Gervásio
reconcile her professional and domestic
lives, but there are many personal
sacrifices that she must make for the
profession, she pointed out. “For example,
a pilot needs to rest well before a flight,
so sometimes you can’t attend church
or birthday parties and people don’t
understand why, and you don’t see family
and friends as much as you’d like to.
“We need to rest and look after
ourselves, a bit like a footballer before a
match,” she said, smiling.
Brazuk Ltd
This minority representation is
Married to a history teacher and
Family background helped in her
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
17
PARTNERS
SUBSIDIARY
‘Be the main air operator
supporting national industry
and regional expansion,
all while performing these
duties with safety, quality
and competitiveness’
– SonAir’s vision
helicopter. “Flying is spectacular and has
safety precaution in the highly risk-averse
would like to continue flying until she
Looking to the future, Maria Gervásio
been much better than I had expected.
oil business.
has to retire (at 65), but she would also
I get a sense of joy just being on the
not mind teaching what she knows.
airport apron when I get a whiff of
300 hours’ flying experience originally
“Teaching is to learn and it’s a pleasure
aviation fuel. Once in the machine,
dreamed of becoming a cardiologist or
to explain,” she said.
you’re in a completely different world,”
paediatric doctor when she was younger,
she explained.
following the path of her father, who was
Neusa Oliveira – on cloud nine
Oliveira flies around five days a week
This 27-year-old Luandan with
a specialist nurse treating tuberculosis
Neusa Oliveira exudes love and youthful
to the offshore rigs, where she transfers
and leprosy, but her aversion to blood
enthusiasm for her flying profession
personnel between platforms and to and
ruled that out, she said, laughing. One
as she scampers around her gleaming
from airports. Oil rig flights in Angola
of her previous jobs was as a diplomatic
and spotlessly clean S76 C++ (Sikorsky)
are limited to daylight hours as an extra
assistant, where she first came in contact
18
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
SUBSIDIARY
with helicopters during some work with
the police force, and that’s where she
became interested in aviation. A sister
working in air traffic control helped
make the world of aviation accessible
to her and prompted her into thinking
about a career in the industry.
Her attempt to work as an airline
attendant on a Boeing 777-300 ER
for TAAG was literally cut short
passengers who couldn’t reach the
Brazuk Ltd
because she wasn’t tall enough to help
Welcome aboard
baggage locker. This wasn’t a good
enough reason to make her give up
wanting to be part of the flying world.
She applied to train with SonAir,
which accepted her on an 18-month
course in Portugal to be a helicopter
pilot. What she had previously
thought of as ‘an impossible dream’
became a reality.
Oliveira said her flying career has
caused no conflict with her social life.
“I’m not one for partying so there’s
no problem.”
Asked if they have any fear of
flying, both Oliveira and Gervásio let
Over the past 10 years,
SonAir has registered more
than 320,000 flying hours
and transported more than
1.5 million passengers,
with no accidents
out a great guffaw in unison and a
long negative: “Nooooo”.
“No, it’s exciting,” said Oliveira.
“If you’re afraid, you can’t fly,” added
Gervásio. “We’re trained for every
eventuality,” she said confidently.
“Oil companies have very high
standards of safety, and we undergo
many additional safety courses on
their behalf,” Oliveira explained.
At the end of my conversation
with these two pilots, I came away
a more confident flyer. Their air of
professionalism, competence and
trustworthiness made me feel my
safety as a passenger was in good,
steady hands.
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
19
SUBSIDIARY
Malocha
SONILS OSC:
20
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
SERVING ANGOLA
The Sonils Oil Service Centre is a
cornerstone of Angola’s most important
economic sector. Universo looks at the
company’s success and how it faces
today’s challenges
Panoramic view of the Port of Luanda
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
21
SUBSIDIARY
N
estled in the heart of Luanda’s docklands,
Sonangol Integrated Logistic Services (Sonils)
speedily supplies Angola’s oil industry with the
goods, services and all the complex equipment it requires.
The company’s mission is to support the oil sector
by all means possible while offering high-quality
international standards of service. The importance of
the Sonils Oil Service Centre (OSC) derives from the
fact that oil accounts for around 95 per cent of Angola’s
exports and some 45 per cent of GDP.
Almost all Angola’s oil and gas is drilled offshore and
most of its equipment is imported by sea before being
prepared onshore prior to installation.
The idea of OSCs is to concentrate logistics and
services while streamlining international access to oil
production areas.
Sonils is a joint venture between Sonangol and oilfield
logistics company Intels. The latter also operates oil
support bases on the West African coast in Nigeria, the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ivory Coast
where it offers integrated logistics, facilities and services.
Whereas most imported goods arrive by ship, are
processed by customs and are then released through the
landward dock gates to clients within the country, almost
all Sonils’ activities are sea-related. So, oil industry
equipment arrives by ship, and Sonils prepares and
processes it near the dockside and then ships it out again. The optimal location for an OSC is within a port’s
precincts, allowing customs clearance, often a cause for
long hold-ups to take place and reduce any other delays
REDUCED HANDLING:
HOW SONILS WORKS
Sonils industrial hub
Initially planned as a logistics base, Sonils has developed
into a much more ambitious project. It is now also
an industrial hub in its own right and has almost all
of Angola’s major oil companies and many offshore
subcontractors and their workshops on-site. Annual
turnover is $400 million.
Since 1995, Sonils has invested $800 million in
expanding its site, which is now mostly on reclaimed
land dredged up from Luanda Bay.
The base is a condominium where clients can
manage and operate their business, while Sonils
provides its own independent infrastructure – water,
22
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
Traditional oil industry support operations are
usually managed through a private supply base.
Here, the cargo must pass through a port and
undergo customs inspection and clearance. Then it
is transferred to the private base from where it can
be despatched to the rig. This process involves at
least four stages of handling before the equipment
arrives at its final destination.
If Sonils manages the support operation within
Luanda’s prot precinct, then it can receive cargo
directly at the base and, while awaiting customs
clearance, inspect and store it. After the authorities
release it , Sonils can supply it directly to the final
destination. This operation involves only two stages of
handling before reaching the rig.
Kostadin Luchansky
from multiple handling and storage outside the docks.
SUBSIDIARY
SONILS BASE
MARINE SERVICES & LOGISTICS
144
300
Bituminous
plant
600
Future
ur
section
o
EExisting
i i
sec
section
Ambulance boat, crew terminal
and emergency helipad
Sonils
operations
Baker
Hughes
hes
BP Area C
Maersk
Oil
Halliburton
Eni
Petrobras
Sonils
FMC Technologies
gie
gi
Total zone 4
MAP
Total zone 7
Schlumberger
u
Railway
River
Quay
ConocoPhillips
Statoil
Cameronn
Sonils
operations
Sonils
FMC Technologies
gie
gi
Total zone 4
Sonangol lab
Sonils base
Road
Company facility
Sonils base infrastructure
Repsol
Subsea 7
Kværner
Quay
Quay extension
Total zone 5 & 6
BP - storage
Base B
BP - storage
Base B
Subsea 7
Heavy lift dock
Sonangol P&P Base 2
Repsol
Schlumberger
Saipem
Bituminous
plant
Future
ur
section
o
EExisting
i i
sec
section
Baker
Hughes
hes
BP Area C
Maersk
Oil
Cobalt
Angola
Environmental
Services
FMC Technologies
h l
Sonils offices,
canteen and
business centre
Saipem
Statoil
Sonangol P&P Base 1
FKI
Sonangol lab
Schlumberger
Total zone 7
The base, which was created in 1995, is located near
major sea, land and air infrastructure. It is adjacent
to the biggest commercial port in Angola, the Port
© 2014 Wildcat International FZ-LLC, The Oil & Gas Year Angola 2014. All rights reserved.
Exxpro
Baker
Halliburton Hughes
150
Metres
ase A
BP - storage Base
Cameronn
MAP
Sonils operational area
Eni
ConocoPhillips
Quay extension
Schlumberger
Sonangol P&P Base 1
Petrobras
Quay
Heavy lift dock
Sonangol P&P Base 2
Halliburton
Cobalt
SONILS BASE
Ambulance boat, crew terminal
and emergency helipad
0
River
Kværner
Quay
600
BP - storage Base
ase A
Total
Road
Total zone 5 & 6
Angola
Environmental
Services
144
Railway
Company facility
Sonils base infrastructure
FKI
Metres
Sonils base
Sonils operational area
Exxpro
Baker
Halliburton Hughes
Schlumberger
Total
300
Schlumberger
u
150
FMC Technologies
h l
0
Sonils offices,
canteen and
business centre
New quay extension: 447 metres
Electrical power: Two power stations with a
MARINE SERVICES & LOGISTICS
Total area: 2 million square metres
SONILS BASE
SONILS BASE
© 2014 Wildcat International FZ-LLC, The Oil & Gas Year Angola 2014. All rights reserved.
Total area 3 2 million square metres
SONILS BASE
Quayside total length 3 2,000 metres
New quay extension: 447 metres
The base, which was created in 1995, is located near
major sea, land and air infrastructure. It is adjacent
power: Two power
stations
with3aEveryto48themetres
biggest commercial port in Angola, the Port
Total
2 million
square metres
Totalarea:
covered
warehouse/workshop
3 58,331 Electrical
square metres
Bulking
points
total of 8.25 MW
of Luanda. The Sonils base is also close to the only
Roads 3 21 kilometres
New quay extension 3 447 metres
international airport in Angola, located in Luanda,
Total office space of Sonils:
Design
load
3
Four
tonnes
per
square
metre
Electrical
power
3
Two
power
stations
with a totaloperations
of 8.25 MW
which
facilitates
crew-changing
and en11,881 square metres
Water storage: 4.7 million litres
ables
direct
air
freight.
Crew terminal 3 Seating for 524 people
Water storage 3 4.7 million litres Water depth 3 12.5 metres
The base is undergoing a quayside expansion,
Total covered warehouse/workshop:
Water depth: 12.5 metres
which started in 2013 and is expected to be com58,331 square metres
pleted in 2015. The developmentSONANGOL
will represent
an23
UNIVERSO
Roads: 21 kilometres
The Sonangol Integrated Logistic Services (Sonils) increase of 22.35 percent over the existing quayTotal office space of Sonils 3 11,881 square metres
Quay apron 3 30 metres wide
Courtesy of Soares da Costa
SUBSIDIARY
AKER SOLUTIONS
One tenant at Sonils is Aker Solutions. “Sonils’ base location, and proximity to all third-party services installed within it,
enables us to deliver additional services to the end customer without the need to transport equipment outside the base. This is
beneficial for operational efficiency,” Norway’s Aker Solutions told Universo.
“The quayside is available for operations giving easy offshore access, mobile cranes and trucks are available for transporting
materials, and the company is assured infrastructure maintenance, security, electrical power and water round the clock.”
Aker won a $2.6 billion contract from Total in 2014 for further work in Angola. It has workshops within Sonils from where it
supports installations, customer asset management, rental tools and ‘life of field’ support among other company businesses.
The firm is currently working for Total and Sonangol P&P on projects in Block 17 and Block 4/5 and has around 130
employees, of which approximately 80 per cent are Angolan.
Aker’s Sonils facility was inaugurated in January 2005.
energy, communications and diesel
students – as well as Stavanger (Norway)
Personnel attention
supply facilities – as well as making
and Morgan City (Louisiana, USA) in the
Sonils is located relatively close to
other technical services, personnel and
Gulf of Mexico.
Luanda’s international airport which
equipment available for port operations
and engineering work.
Some 10,000 people work on a
helps ease platform crew and onshore
24/7 basis at the Sonils site beside
personnel changing operations. The
the Port of Luanda, which is the
proximity permits urgently needed
response to supporting the oil industry
largest area of economic activity in
equipment to arrive by air freight.
as they concentrate and provide
the city’s downtown. Viewed from
synergies in service provision. There
the surrounding hillside, the docks,
services for up to 4,000 people a day,
are OSCs all over the world carrying
warehouses and stacked containers are
including personnel in transit to and
out substantial oil operations. These
a hive of activity which generates huge
from oil rigs and the crews manning the
facilities include Aberdeen (Scotland) –
amounts of heavy road traffic congestion
large number of offshore supply vessels
a favoured destination for Angolan oil
in the surrounding area.
that are anchored in Luanda’s bay.
Oil service centres are a rational
24
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
The centre can provide restaurant
SUBSIDIARY
New Sonils access road
Economic benefits
Sonils provides many benefits for the
Angolan economy. These include the
creation of well-paid jobs for Angolans
and the transfer of advanced technologies.
Courtesy of Sonils
Greater investment in the oil industry is
also encouraged by making it easier for
business to operate in the country. Sonils’
Sonils Director Hélder Sousa
provision of its own infrastructure has
eased pressure on other parts of Luanda’s
Company costs tend to be 25–30 per
container trucks serving the port, heads in
overburdened public utilities.
cent higher when operating outside OSCs.
and out onto the dusty portside road.
Advantages of being on-site
past four years, having previously been
By concentrating all oil sector
Hélder Sousa: complex
management
companies within Sonils OSC they gain
Hélder Sousa is the fast-talking,
finance director for three and a half years.
enhanced and faster services; reduced
youthful-looking 53-year-old who
His extensive career record as a senior
communication problems between
oversees and directs Sonils. His long
official is relatively rare in Angola as there
operator, contractor and client; fewer
association with and experience at the
is often a shortage of trained personnel
material handling risks; and improved
OSC dates back to 1997.
with long, hands-on management
Sousa has been at the helm for the
management of tools and equipment.
Sonil’s economy of scale also means
Born in Maianga, Luanda, Sousa is a
graduate in both economics and public
the assistant director for 10 years and
experience before progressing to the top
job in the same enterprise.
cost-effective, efficient services and
administration with a postgraduate degree
operations and increased security for all
in continuous production. His office is
Sousa spent two years at Pointe-Noire
Before starting work at Sonils,
on-site companies. These lie within a
on-site and at the heart of the action. It
(Republic of Congo), where he had plenty
fenced and secured area patrolled by its
faces the heavily-secured main entrance
of time to study its operations as an oil
own and state-employed security staff.
where a constant stream of traffic, mostly
logistics centre.
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
25
SUBSIDIARY
Illustrious visitor: Senator and Secretary of State John Kerry at Sonils in 2014
“I was determined to make Sonils as good as Pointe-Noire,
if not better. It could be expensive but we will do it, I thought,
Sousa said the plant, will have paid for itself within five years.
Staff numbers have to match expanding services, and
working 24 hours a day, seven days a week with no stoppages,”
their training is also a continuous process. The OSC directly
he said.
employed 1,509 people in 2014, of which just 1.86 per cent were
The director sees his task as a continuous process of
investment in the development of quality services at the centre
to accompany Angola’s expanding oilfields. Increased oil
expatriates. Four years ago the workforce stood at just 800.
Oil companies and their associated subcontractors employ
well over 8,000 personnel at the Sonils complex.
output has led to the arrival of many more oil companies and
their subcontractors.
“Sonils is committed to providing solutions for its oil
Around 95 per cent of Sonils traffic is by sea. Long-distance
company clients,” he emphasised. “There’s been fast growth in
ships dock and unload their large cargoes, while supply
oil production, and services have to respond. There’s a need for
vessels constantly load and ferry smaller consignments out to
more energy and water, so we need periodic growth to add to
oil rigs.
service capacity.”
As an example of its quality and enhanced service
To reduce demurrage costs and speed up operations, there
are two quay superintendents who simultaneously marshal
provision, Sonils has spent over $12 million on building a
the order and flow of vessels to and from the docks. Their
desalination plant with the option of doubling capacity if
responsibility is to ensure that delays are avoided and that
needed. Not forgetting his former role as finance director,
work at the quays is always swift and highly productive.
Port of Luanda entrance and catamaran terminal
Malocha
Traffic management
26
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
Kostadin Luchansky
Courtesy of US Embassy Luanda
SUBSIDIARY
Easing access
Luanda’s port area and Sonils have long
suffered from a huge traffic bottleneck in the
surrounding area, as 80 per cent of Angola’s
imports pass through there. Given that almost
all Sonils traffic is by sea, it would seem that
land access should not be a huge issue, but it
is. This is because it affects personnel rather
than the flow of goods.
Hélder Sousa says finding and retaining
as they have sometimes left after becoming
demoralised by the long waits in traffic to and
from work.
Kostadin Luchansky
talented and trained staff has been a problem,
To ease staff access, the hub has has
taken advantage of two new services
by sea: a regular public catamaran
operates between Luanda’s southern
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
27
SUBSIDIARY
residential area near Talatona and the
port, and a small launch ferries workers
across Luanda Bay from the Nautical
Club. The port authority has also allowed
company personnel to travel by minibus
across its operational area on their
way to work and thus avoid use of the
congested port road.
The good news for Sonils and the
Port of Luanda is that the historic
bottleneck is set to ease this year. The
new port road north past Sonils is to be
rebuilt using concrete to withstand the
damaging wear from heavy trucks by the
New access roads and development plans near Sonils
end of 2015.
There are also completely new roads
up the steep escarpment overlooking the
complex. These were largely complete
in March 2015 and will greatly facilitate
staff journeys to work.
Sonils has also been active in
cultivating good relations with the
Sonils’ economy of scale offers
cost-effective, efficient services and
operations and increased security
for all on-site companies
neighbouring community at Boavista.
Here the company has helped clear
drains and clean up the area by
could be up to 12 hours from the Sonils
collecting waste. It also supports local
base at Luanda.
health centres, schools and churches.
busiest and most efficient port.
Last year Luanda won the ‘Crans
Montana’ prize for ‘Best regional
Port of Luanda
container terminal.’ The port handled
Sonils’ future
Until recently inefficiency at the Port
913,000 containers in 2013, a staggering
The company’s boss believes the recent
of Luanda presented a serious obstacle
221,000 more than in 2012 and over six
drastic fall in oil prices may cause delays
to trade, but the port is making great
times the 150,000 it moved in 2007.
in expanding Sonils’ quay development
progress in this regard which is also
A rail-connected dry port outside
as it may reduce demand for port space.
helping Sonils operate better. Goods
Luanda at Viana is also alleviating some
through Angola’s largest port are now
pressure on road traffic and storage
new OSC may have to be built further
Looking further ahead, a completely
flowing faster than ever, thanks to
space. Cargo trains carrying a total of
south to better serve new offshore
massive investment in equipment and
4,322 containers in 185 trips obviated
drilling blocks. According to Sousa,
training over the past five years. In 2014
over 4,000 road movements last year.
studies will be undertaken to see if it is
Luanda handled 12 million tonnes of
worthwhile, both Sumbe (Kwanza Sul
cargo, double the amount shipped in 2007.
to its constricted site, the Port of Luanda
Port congestion is now easing with
is reaching saturation point. The solution
province) and Lobito (Benguela province)
Despite its gains in efficiency, owing
have been mentioned as possible sites.
vessel turnaround times averaging three
planned is a completely new port at
Ideally an OSC should be within
days as opposed to 16 days in 2008. That
Barra do Dande, 50km north of Luanda.
four hours’ sailing time from the rigs,
compares favourably with 2.5 days at
This would also relieve congestion at sea
whereas new rigs in southern Angola
Durban (South Africa), the continent’s
and around Sonils.
28
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
SUBSIDIARY
FUGRO: QUALITY JOBS
Another Sonils’ tenant is Fugro, the world’s largest integrator of geotechnical,
survey and subsea services. With a base on the complex since 2002, Fugro
provides personnel, equipment, expertise and technology to support the oil
industry as well as the technical data and information required to design, build
and maintain large structures and infrastructure in Angola.
“Fugro’s new geotechnical laboratory in Sonils OSC is one of the most modern
testing facilities, equipped to perform all standard testing. Capabilities range from
geotechnical classification tests to state-of-the-art effective stress, consolidation
and shear strength testing. A CPT [Cone Penetration Test] truck will shortly
complement Fugro’s onshore geotechnical services in Angola. The laboratory
and CPT testing form a solid base to further develop our geotechnical services in
Angola,” said Ms Christina Brokahne, Managing Director of Fugro Angola.
“Our survey workshop is set up to support all offshore construction
projects, positioning and rig move services as well as geophysical survey
services. It is supported by our data processing and reporting team at the
Sonils base,” she added.
The company also has extensive training facilities for more than 50 Angolan
surveyors and survey engineers at Sonils. Around 85% of
the staff (122) is Angolan and there are also 15 expatriate
staff on rotation.
Fugro is a good example of the quality training and
jobs Sonils provides.
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
29
Fugro Angola
Fugro Angola
Fugro’s modern testing facility
UPSTREAM
EXXONMOBIL IN ANGOLA:
HAPPY
30
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
ExxonMobil, the world’s largest
publicly-traded energy firm, has run
one of the most successful oil outfits
in Africa for 21 years. Universo joins
in the celebrations
O
ver the past two decades, ExxonMobil has gained a
reputation in Angola as an efficient, highly-profitable
oil company with an outstanding safety record.
Together with its drilling partners, the company has
made 45 discoveries with potential total reserves of a massive
10 billion barrels. It currently has interests in three Angolan
deepwater blocks: Block 15, Block 17 and Block 32.
Now, the global giant is about to receive further plaudits
when a $2.4 billion investment in the Block 15 Kizomba
Satellites Phase 2 (KSP2) project starts producing oil in 2015.
Block 15
In 1994 ExxonMobil was awarded the right to operate one of
its most prolific concessions, Block 15, where, four years later,
it made its first discovery. The multinational then set up a
dedicated subsidiary, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Ltd,
to oversee operations. This company holds a 40 per cent stake
in the block on behalf of Sonangol, the concessionaire. BP has
26.67 per cent, Eni 20 per cent and Statoil 13.33 per cent.
Block 15 has reserves estimated at 5 billion barrels and
covers an area of 4,144 sq km in the Atlantic some 145km
off Angola’s northern shore at Soyo. The block has proved
to be one of the country’s most highly productive areas and
averaged 325,000 barrels per day of oil in 2014 (1.8 billion
barrels of cumulative production since first oil in 2003). The
previous year it was the second-highest-producing block in
Angola with an average of 370,000 bpd.
The block’s first oil production was in 2003 from the
Xikomba project, followed by further development projects
at Kizomba A (2004), Kizomba B (2005), Marimba North (2007),
Kizomba C-Mondo and Kizomba C-Saxi Batuque (2008), then
Kizomba Satellites Phase 1 (KSP1) in 2012. (These projects,
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
31
Courtesy ExxonMobil
incidentally, are named after indigenous musical instruments
Courtesy ExxonMobil
UPSTREAM
or music genres. The names will also be
largely familiar to people from Brazil).
Each project has at its heart one or
more floating production, storage and
offloading vessels (FPSOs).
An FPSO is usually a converted
oil tanker, with a configuration that
resembles the body of an octopus. The
FPSO is anchored in position and has
huge straggling ‘legs’ made of flexible
lines, consisting of control systems and
fluid pipes connected to wellheads on
the seabed. The pipelines pump oil and
gas to processing units on the FPSOs,
which then transfer oil to tankers. Some
of Block 15’s output from Kizomba A
and Kizomba B has been supplying
associated gas to the Angola LNG plant
at Soyo since 2013.
Block 15 consists of three main
projects with four FPSOs at the centre
of things: one each for Kizomba A and
Kizomba B and two in Kizomba C.
FPSO Mondo: part of the Kizomba C project
FPSO Kizomba A cost $3.2 billion and
has production capacity of 250,000 bpd
with 2.2 million barrel storage capacity.
mid-2012, and its peak design capacity is
fabrication and assembly of topside units
FPSO Kizomba B is its twin with the same
100,000 bpd.
as well as submarine equipment.
capabilities, but slightly less expensive at
The upcoming highlight of 2015
ExxonMobil has been keen to deal
$3 billion, benefiting from not having to
will be when KSP2 produces its first oil
with and buy from local businesses and
duplicate development outlay.
by the end of the year. KSP2 is a $2.4
suppliers. In the period 2010–13, it spent
The Kizomba C project is tapped
billion investment which will boost oil
$454 million on products and services
by FPSO Mondo and FPSO Saxi Batuque.
production by approximately 80,000 bpd
from Angolan companies.
The Mondo unit is smaller than its
when it comes on stream. It is tapping
predecessors, with design production
into reserves estimated at 190 million
half of the firm’s topside engineering
capacity of 10,000 bpd and storage for
barrels from development areas in Block
and 30 per cent of its installation work in
1.6 million barrels. The latter, on the
15 (Kakocha, Bavuca and Mondo Sul).
the country with nearly all underwater
other hand, is larger with a massive
ExxonMobil is developing the Kakocha
components made or assembled on
2.1 million barrel storage capacity and
and Bavuca fields via links to the FPSO
Angolan soil.
105,000 bpd production output.
Kizomba B and the Mondo Sul field via
FPSO Mondo.
Kizomba Satellites
The company has undertaken around
Development of KSP2 is based on
the experience acquired from KSP1 and
benefits from the continuous use of staff
These satellites are add-on oilfield
Local content
development connected to the core
Construction of Kizomba Satellites
Kizomba projects. The first phase of
has involved increased local content.
‘Design one, build multiple’
KSP1 began commercial production in
Angolan shipyards are providing
According to ExxonMobil, the Block 15
32
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
and equipment at several Angolan yards.
UPSTREAM
2015
2014
2013
2012
2009
2008
2005
2004
2003
2003
2001
Courtesy ExxonMobil
ANGOLA TIMELINE
Start production of KSP2
Block 15 celebrates 20 years of operations
Start supply of associated gas to Angola LNG
from Block 15 gas gathering system.
Total investment since 2003: $43 billion KSP1 starts production
One billion barrels of production,
750 staff, of which 500 are Angolan
Block 15 partners announce first oil
from Mondo field in Kizomba C and
start-up of Saxi Batuque
First oil Kizomba B project
First oil Kizomba A project
First oil Xicomba project
Kizomba B project begins
Kizomba A development project starts
19992001
Discoveries at Xikomba, Chocalho (1999);
Mondo, Saxi Batuque and Mbulumbumba
(2000); Mavacola 1 and Vicango (2001)
1998
Block 15 discoveries: Kissanje 1,
Marimba 1, Hungo 1 and Dikanza 1
1994
irst production-sharing agreement
F
Block 15. Only 10 Angolan staff employed
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
33
UPSTREAM
development has been a resounding
Angola totalled around 700 and had 81
endorsement of its FPSO strategy
per cent national representation. Back
estimated at 4 billion barrels, and its first
of ‘Design one, build multiple’. The
in 1994, the company employed just 10
discovery dates back to 1996. It is located
Kizomba ventures, the company noted,
Angolan workers.
slightly nearer to the coast than Block 15,
are “benchmark projects that set world-
In 2015, 75 Angolan nationals
The 4,000 sq km block has reserves
around 140km from Luanda.
record cycle times with the lowest
hold leading positions at Esso Angola,
unit-development costs for projects of
including 16 offshore supervisors and 13
Block 32
this size and complexity.”
in directorial roles. Its main office is in
ExxonMobil also has a 15 per cent
For its work in developing Kizomba,
Luanda, but there are other units in Soyo
interest in deepwater Block 32, which
the oil major won an Offshore Technology
and Lobito as well as offshore locations.
has an estimated 1 billion barrels of oil in
Conference (OTC) special citation in 2011
an area of over 5,000 sq km. The oil lies
for its “industry-leading approach to
Block 17
Angola deepwater project development”.
This is operated by Total, which has a
Block 32 is operated by Total (30
40 per cent stake and is partnered with
per cent) and the other partners are
suppliers, service providers and workers,
Statoil holding 23.33 per cent and BP 16.67
Sonangol P&P (30 per cent), SSI (20 per
including Angolans, to build and install
per cent. Although ExxonMobil’s Esso
cent) and Galp (5 per cent). The block’s
both facilities enhanced safety, quality,
Exploration Angola (Block 17) Ltd only has
first oil discovery was recorded in 2003.
efficiency and reliability as well as helped
a 20 per cent share, the block is hugely
The largest development, the Kaombo
reduce costs.
important due to its high productivity.
project, in which Total is investing $16
It accounts for over a third of Angola’s
billion, is scheduled to start production
Angolan workforce and operations
output with 590,000 bpd, making it one of
in 2017. It will have two FPSOs, each
At the end of 2013, ExxonMobil’s staff in
Africa’s most lucrative concessions.
producing up to 115,000 bpd.
Courtesy ExxonMobil
The use of many of the same
between 1,500 and 2,500 metres.
ExxonMobil has
75 Angolans in leading
positions, including 16
offshore supervisors and
13 in director positions
34
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
UPSTREAM
TXIPITA SAMBO, OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR
and the integrity of the installation and environment. I’m also
responsible for authorising all the jobs done on my installation
so as to consistently support the equipment maintenance
programme and guarantee oil production stability. At the same
time, I manage my section operators so as to empower them to
become even better professionals imbued with a spirit of work
safety and teamwork in the constant monitoring of equipment
and operations in general.”
Esso has a reputation for employing a high number of
Angolans in positions of responsibility, and Sambo concurs
with that view. “All this begins with the company’s own
strategic vision in maintaining the sustainability of its business
in a solid and consistent way.”
Sambo explained that Esso has a clear policy of promoting
people on merit, and this all begins with a rigorous selection
process for trainees and its philosophy of bringing workers
of several nationalities together and placing the more
experienced alongside the less seasoned.
Courtesy ExxonMobil
“This ensures that the work ethic and knowledge transfer is
done consistently,” he explained. Sambo also pointed out that
there is also constant training within and outside the company
to guarantee the sustainability of its Angolanisation policy.
Sambo said that there are a large number of Angolans
Txipita Sambo has been working as an operations supervisor
at sea, contrary to popular belief. His choice to do so was
on FPSO Kizomba B since 2012. He started his career at
influenced by being on the INP programme. He recognised that
Esso in 2002, studying at the National Oil Institute (INP) at
this can be challenging for both him and his family. “They are
Sumbe, Kwanza Sul. He then continued his studies in Nova
very understanding of my work and support my idea and desire
Scotia, Canada, and combined this with on-the-job training
to work at sea, but it’s natural for any wife, children and parents
placements at the Goldboro LNG Plant (2003) and Hibernia Oil
to prefer to have family members close to them,” he said.
& Gas Platform (2004-05). Sambo then returned to Angola to
work on FPSO Kizomba A (2005-12).
“What I most like about my work is the responsible and
On the FPSO, it isn’t all work. “It seems strange to speak
of leisure in a place where one’s main attention is to manage
risk and the business itself, which needs extreme vigilance,
serious way that we take into consideration all aspects related
but there are opportunities for leisure such as a cinema, gym,
to work safety and the management of operational risks. The
television, communication via telephone, Wi-Fi internet, a
technology that now exists in terms of exploration, production
variety of games and so on. I take advantage of some of them
and oil processing is fascinating,” he said.
to pass the time.”
“My work routine is vast; it begins with the first safety
Sambo is well satisfied with his choice of company.
meeting in the early hours of the morning and is followed by
“The best thing about working for Esso is the stability of
several other meetings during the day. My first responsibility
employment, and the opportunity there to grow professionally
is to manage everyday operational risks to assure the safety
and personally.”
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
35
EDUCATION
ISPTEC H
THE EDUCATION
ANGOLA NEEDS
igher Polytechnic Institute
for Technology and Science
(ISPTEC) is a Sonangol-driven
private–public partnership which aims to
help supply the country’s oil sector with
professionals and technical specialists.
The polytechnic has a swish, brightlycoloured new campus in the heart of
Sonangol’s growing need for trained
technical specialists is behind its
strong support for ISPTEC. Universo
charts the polytechnic’s rapid rise
Luanda’s modern southern suburb
of Talatona. Its mission statement
reads: “To train qualified professionals
dedicated to the sustainable
development of Angola by the generation
and dissemination of knowledge.”
The project began life in February
2005 with a view to building what
was then known as the University of
Technology and Science (UTEC). This was
36
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
EDUCATION
ISPTEC students: tomorrow’s oil professionals
a Sonangol initiative to create a highquality university with the academic,
teaching and administrative processes to
match. In March 2008, a special-purpose
company, PDA (People, Development
and Associates), was set up to promote
ISPTEC with the responsibility to ensure
the full development of the institute and
its financing.
Lesson one
and Industrial Production Engineering
August 5, 2011, when it was officially
The embryonic complex was ready in
and two courses in Applied Social
created as a legal entity. To establish
2012 and consisted of an administration
Sciences (Economics and Management).
a university, Angolan law requires the
block, classrooms, laboratories and a
Teaching takes place in shifts in the
educational body to teach four areas of
sports facility.
morning, afternoon and evening. In
The next major landmark was on
knowledge, but ISPTEC was permitted
Academic activities began in earnest
the first academic year, the institute
to be a university teaching just two
in March 2012 with the offering of six
had five laboratories, which it used
disciplines thanks to a special Executive
courses in Engineering Mechanical,
to teach Chemistry and Experimental
Decree from Angola’s Ministerial Council.
Civil, Electrical, Computer, Chemical
Physics. It has subsequently built 29
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
37
EDUCATION
more laboratories for research and
there three years (148) and those just
teaching, R&D and extension courses,
development (R&D) and specialist
completing their first (946) shows
ISPTEC has established a large number
extension courses for the community.
dramatically how rapidly ISPTEC
of partnerships with recognised Angolan
is expanding. There were 1,586 in
and international institutions.
Since 2012, ISPTEC has also offered
courses in Environmental Engineering
2014, but if the intake is replicated
and Accountancy.
in subsequent years, then that figure
education institutions and scientific
could almost triple by 2016. The total
research centres in Angola, Brazil, South
Places filling up
capacity has been provisionally set at
Africa, Spain and Portugal with a view to
Since the university’s first full academic
6,000 places.
evaluating and establishing partnership
year in 2012, student enrolment has
In-house staff have visited higher
and co-operation agreements.
been growing steadily. The contrast
Fostering co-operation
in numbers between the first batch of
In order to strengthen and help
academic protocols with several
undergraduates who have now been
consolidate its basic activities of
distinguished international partners
So far the organisation has signed
such as:
DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGIES
NUMBER OF STUDENTS
COURSE
Portugal:
3 University of Aveiro
3 University of Porto
1ST YEAR
2ND YEAR
3RD YEAR
Civil Engineering
78
21
6
Electrical Engineering
85
30
10
Computer Engineering
160
34
10
Mechanical Engineering
85
27
12
Chemical Engineering
105
68
26
Production & Industrial Engineering
169
75
24
3 Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
682
255
88
3 University of São Carlos
3 University of Coimbra
3 University of Minho
3Higher Technical Institute at the
Lisbon Technical University
Brazil:
3Federal University of Rio Grande
do Norte
3Pontifical Catholic University of Rio
TOTAL 1,025
Grande do Sul
Spain:
3Higher Council of Scientific Research
DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES
Co-operation agreements are largely
NUMBER OF STUDENTS
1ST YEAR
2ND YEAR
3RD YEAR
Economics
115
114
31
applied science and engineering. The
Management
149
123
29
polytechnic’s corporate partners are
264
237
60
TOTAL 561
GRAND TOTAL 1,586
Source: ISPTEC October 2014
38
weighted towards higher education
COURSE
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
bodies with a distinct vocation for
intimately involved with the oil sector.
These include Siemens, Honeywell,
EFACEC, Total E&P Angola, ZTE
Corporation and Luanda Refinery.
EDUCATION
ISPTEC’s bright, modern campus
TEACHING STAFF PROFILE
Studying outside the country...
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
These wide-ranging academic and corporate
Angola
56
Portugal
courses abroad and also obtain work placements.
Student mobility, according to ISPTEC, creates
partnerships will also help some high-flying
students to benefit from attending term-long
qualified professionals with more know-how and
prepares them for the challenges of the Angolan
labour market.
...and outside of the classroom
Apart from student exchanges, the institute
is also very keen on on-the-job training. It
GRADUATE MASTER’S DEGREE
DOCTORATE
TOTAL
24
8
88
1
2
3
6
Brazil
2
0
0
2
Cuba
8
2
8
18
São Tomé & Príncipe 0
1
0
1
Congo
1
0
0
1
Chile
0
1
0
1
United States
1
0
0
1
69
30
19
118
encourages undergraduates to visit companies
where they can see the application of the
theoretical concepts they have studied in class
and also to understand better the sectors in
which they will work in future.
The practical application of lessons learnt is
a key part of the overall educational experience,
ANGOLANS
74.5%
25.5%
FOREIGNERS
Source: ISPTEC October 2014
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
39
EDUCATION
and students can benefit from visits to
places such as the Luanda Refinery and the
offices of Total E&P Angola. Students also
have the opportunity of eight-week work
placements to give them familiarity and
experience and to enhance their skills in
their chosen profession after graduating.
Focus on research
The ISPTEC syllabus has a major focus on
‘To train qualified
professionals committed
to the sustainable
development of Angola
by the generation
and dissemination of
knowledge’
–
ISPTEC’s vision
R&D, so the campus is equipped with a large
number of professional laboratories for
scientific investigation using cutting-edge
technology. The idea is to inculcate a strong
culture of scientific research right from the
moment students attend their first lectures.
The polytechnic believes this will give a
significant technical boost to the process
of teaching and apprenticeships and in the
qualification of professionals.
The extensive laboratory facilities
Dr. Baltazar Miguel, Director-general of ISPTEC
on campus also provide an excellent
academic environment for both
professionals and researchers.
Community links
The organisation is also engaged in
extracurricular programmes to support the
economic, social and cultural development of
Angola. The aim is to foster dynamic projects
that involve students and the community.
Six laboratories are available for
the corporate and industrial sectors
for conducting analyses and testing.
Consultancy and advisory support services
are also provided.
The importance that ISPTEC attaches
to its international dimension is reflected
in the establishment of an on-campus
Language Centre. This offers English
and Portuguese courses to guarantee the
proficiency of graduating students and
boost the global relations of the institute.
40
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
ISPTEC’s library contains over 5,000 volumes
EDUCATION
ISPTEC FACILITIES
Campus area: 3.5 hectares
Buildings on campus: 16
Classroom blocks: 4
Classrooms: 58
Small auditoriums: 4
Large auditorium: 1
Library: 1
Gym and sports complex: 1
Cafeterias: 2
ISPTEC LABORATORIES
Basic scientific laboratories: 5
Professional laboratories: 29 in the following areas
3 Mechanical Technologies
3 Metrology and Machine tools
3 Energy and Fluid Mechanics
3 Materials
3 Mechanisms
3 Control
3 Civil Engineering
3 Chemistry
3 Electrical Engineering
3 Computer Science
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
41
Courtesy of Daniela Ribeiro
CULTURE
42
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
CULTURE
THE
SCIENCE
OF
ART
W
arm versus cold, love versus
science, man versus machine,
the future versus the here
and now. All that is what the southern
and northern hemispheres represent to
Daniela Ribeiro. In her art, she symbolises
the ways in which the two worlds merge
in the process of globalisation.
Clouds of white dust and bumpy
dirt roads in a derelict industrial area
of Luanda form Universo’s introduction
to the work of one of Angola’s most
The relationship between
science and art is a rich
theme explored by Angolan
artist Daniela Ribeiro. She
invites Universo along on her
stimulating aesthetic journey
successful and remarkable artists. The
location of Ribeiro’s studio, one building
in an isolated row of warehouses close
to the country’s main port, could hardly
be more suitable. It matches her grand,
poignant, dramatic works of art as
well as her strong, independent and
charismatic personality.
The warehouse belongs to Israeli
company AngoAlissar, and she is
allowed to use it for free. “That’s their
way of supporting me and other artists
By Lula Ahrens
within the framework of corporate
responsibility,” she explained to Universo.
Other companies, such as Fiat, also
sponsor her work.
Lost in the clouds
Every part of the 600-square-metre
studio is crammed with the artist’s work.
A proud gazelle statue stands to the left
of the door; African designs with unusual
(Left) Angola black sable made up of electronic parts
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
43
Courtesy of Daniela Ribeiro
CULTURE
steel-coloured decorations fill the walls
‘clouds’ above our heads, clouds formed
and corners. Two large frames occupy
by an accumulation of data on people
some of the space in the middle. As the
all over the world.” Continuing her train
observer bends down to look at them,
of thought, she added, “Privacy is an
dark blue skies with bright white clouds
illusion nowadays. It doesn’t really exist.
appear to stare back at you. There is
There’s danger in that. I personally think
something unusual about these aerial
that the iCloud could turn into a system
panoramas, something impossible to
of mass control.”
pinpoint for the untrained eye.
The artworks involved consist of
“My next exhibition will be called
several layers of resin, which she stamped
Clouds,” Ribeiro said. “I’ve had a difficult
to create the illusion of three dimensions.
year, mentally and physically. In this
Climate represents an extra element
globalised world, I was no longer
of the exhibition. “I mean that in the
managing to see where I belonged nor
sense of environmental confusion,” she
where I was going. I’ve been walking
said. “As you can see in these works, as
in the clouds. I had to reinvent myself.
a result of pollution it is impossible to
That’s what led to this exhibition.”
pinpoint the location of the sun, even
The Clouds project is an example of
though it seems to shine through the
scientific surrealism, a relatively new
clouds from every angle.”
movement in art based on artificial,
or bionic, intelligence – as Ribeiro put
Angolan heritage
it, “the introduction of the machine
Ribeiro was born to Portuguese parents
into the human body.” The concept, in
in Angola on August 15, 1972, and raised
relation to art, is comparable to what
in Luanda until the age of 12. It was an
science fiction represents in the world of
unforgettable childhood, she said. Due
cinema or literature.
to a lack of ‘everything and anything’,
“Eventually, I decided to reflect
she and her friends were forced to be
on the iCloud phenomenon. It is
creative and build their own toys, and in
very abstract for us to think that all
her case also sculptures, from the few
information on our lives is stored in
materials that were available.
Daniela Ribeiro in her old train carriage studio, Miramar, Luanda
“Our world is globalised.
Angolans travel more,
while the West increasingly
appreciates African art”
Brazuk Ltd
– Daniela Ribeiro
44
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
CULTURE
She developed a fascination for
the art she creates. “There is a schism
Despite their stark differences, the
raw materials thanks to her father, a
between the man of the North and the
two hemispheres mix and mingle. “Our
mechanical engineer who became Angola’s
man of the South, which will be reflected
world is globalised. Angolans travel
Deputy Minister of Heavy Industries.
in the destination of Homo sapiens. The
more, while the West increasingly
West [that is, the Northern hemisphere]
appreciates African art. It’s interesting to
Global education
will have the sapien robot. The South
bring the Southern world to the North,
Her Angolan childhood would prove to
will not,” she claimed.
and the other way round.”
have as much influence on her career as
an artist as would her time later spent
in Europe.
Like many privileged Angolans of
The artist gave two examples to
illustrate that idea.
Ribeiro has observed a unification
of the two, in which each maintains its
“Africa has a verbal culture, because
dominant characteristics. “The man of
the past and the future are not important
the South does use a mobile phone. But
her generation, Ribeiro got the chance
to Africans. What matters is the here and
he uses it in a superficial way. He uses
to study abroad. Having attended the
now. The West, with its written culture,
the technology, but that technology does
French Lycée in Luanda, she went on to
is the opposite.
not form part of his own culture.”
boarding school in Lyon, (France), where
“People in the southern hemisphere
she lived until the age of 16 and became
let themselves die
acquainted with French philosophy. In
peacefully, leaving their
1993, she moved to Portugal to study
kids behind. They accept
Digital Design and Image Manipulation.
death. Westerners do
She then graduated in International
everything to avoid death,
Relations from Lisbon’s Lusíada
even if it means living with
University in 1998.
a robot inside their body.
After an internship at the Center
Electrifying: Fort of São Miguel
“The South’s world
of European Studies, she accepted
is about humanity and
administrative jobs at the Ministry
warmth, while the North
of Economics and the Cabinet of the
is predominantly cold
President of the Republic of Portugal.
and oppressive.”
It was not her world. In the meantime,
The interaction between North and
Narrowing her focus to
she slowly but surely embraced her
Angola, she stated: “What
own milieu, exhibiting her art at
I feel is that Angola has
various individual and joint exhibitions
a more direct connection
in Portugal.
to love, while Europe
inspires first and foremost
In her work, Ribeiro focuses on the
the scientific side of life.”
This prompts the
contemporary human being in the South
question as to where
(Africa) and the North (Western Europe)
Ribeiro belongs – that
and the future of mankind, placing a
is, which of the two
heavy emphasis on Western artificial
hemispheres her
intelligence and bionics. She sometimes
personality represents
dismantles technological devices such as
more strongly? “I belong
computers or mobile phones to create her
to both worlds,” she said.
masterpieces, transforming them to create
“The North and the South
powerful, philosophical pieces of art.
are represented equally
Her manner of speech often echoes
strongly in my personality.”
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
45
Courtesy of Daniela Ribeiro
North–South divide
CULTURE
South is not a one-way street, she added.
course at the Lisbon Fine Arts Society.
Accepting the challenge, she created a
“The people of the South have an equally
She dedicated herself to painting initially
collection of 14 bionic eyes made out
important message for the North,
while she was in between jobs. “It was
of electronic components from 2,000
namely that of peace.”
an intuitive process based on trial and
mobile phones.
error. I locked myself up at home and
Ribeiro has been exhibiting her work
went on and on until I got it right.”
Then she took sculpture classes, and
metre panels in the wing housing
the works of world-famous sculptor
independently since 2002. Her first
in 2006 specialised in resin and silicon
Auguste Rodin. The panels were shown
exhibition in Portugal in 2004, Fire Up, was
moulds at the Pascal Rosier School in
opposite his legendary sculpture
a groundbreaking success. She sold all
Paris, after which Master Rosier invited
The Kiss.
her works within two hours. Ribeiro had
her to teach in Lisbon.
introduced her art at the right time, in the
At the end of 2010, she moved to
London to establish ArtinPark London at
right place. “African art is up and coming
Bionic Eye
Fiat Marylebone, the company’s flagship
in the Western world,” she noted.
One of the artist’s most successful
premises, where she also exhibited her
exhibitions, Bionic Eye (2010), drew
Bionic Eye collection for the second time.
In Lisbon in 2005, she set up ArtinPark,
an art association that aims to support
large audiences at the Portuguese
young artists at the start of their careers.
Communications Foundation in Lisbon
Moon and Earth, in the prestigious Alpha
and at the Lisbon Casino.
Gallery in Cork Street, Ribeiro depicted a
Her parents had always discouraged
her own dream of becoming a full-time
A request by the foundation led to
In a subsequent 2012 exhibition, Sun,
dreamlike vision of the world, inspired
artist. Only after she turned 30 did this
this exhibition. The foundation had
by her childhood in Luanda and by
become her true profession.
asked Ribeiro to write an artistic essay
images of the Earth as seen from NASA’s
on the future of information technology.
Hubble Space Telescope.
In 2000, she enrolled on a painting
Daniela Ribeiro preparing for an exhibition
46
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
Brazuk Ltd
Artistic fate
She exhibited her gigantic, 2-by-2
CULTURE
Angolan culture
Ribeiro held her first solo show
in Angola with the support of the
Sindika Dokolo Foundation. The
Uniqueness of Time premiered at the
Escom building in Luanda in 2009.
This collection, 22 works inspired
by tribal masks from the Tchokwe
culture, again represented modernity
versus tradition, more specifically the
traditional African man versus the
future bionic man, with a special focus
on southern Angola.
She decorated her masks with
recycled ‘jewellery’ made from mobile
phone components, chips, keyboards,
headsets and wires, thus showcasing
her reflection on an overlap of
civilisations between the traditional
African man and the bionic man,
“the union between modernity and
tradition, the adaptation of Angolans
to technological developments that are
taking place worldwide”.
The Uniqueness of Time was later
displayed at the Hay Hill Gallery in
London in 2011.
Another event, Our Culture, took
place at the Agostinho Neto Memorial
in Luanda in 2014. The collection
of pieces, her personal portrayal of
Angola, reflected the idea that Angola
of the war, but also through Angola’s
process of self-determination and
Brazuk Ltd
has changed: not only due to the end
Space art: Ribeiro mixes electronic components with acrylic
confirmation of Angolan culture.
Love and intelligence
I describe the way I perceive and
mobile phone parts to create Our
Although Ribeiro’s art reflects a
intuitively experience the past, the
Culture. “African fabrics represent
strong declaration on the state of
present and the future.”
Angolan tradition, while mobile
humankind and where it is heading, it
phone parts symbolise Angola’s
lacks any form of social criticism. “My
about change, she does know what we
transition to modernity and its
intention is not to change the world,”
cannot do without. “No matter how we
absorption of Western influences.
she explained. “I feel human sadness
evolve, I think there are two things we
They represent a cultural
and grief, but both are predetermined
must preserve,” she said. “Those two
breakthrough,” the artist explained.
by biology. I am merely an observer.
things are love and intelligence.”
She used African fabrics and
Although it is not her role to bring
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
47
SONANGOL 39TH ANNIVERSARY
TARGET:
Shutterstock
TWO MILLION
BARRELS
Sonangol E.P. is on course to meet its production
benchmark of 2 million barrels per day of oil in
the first half of 2016 despite a dip in output and a
dramatic price downturn in 2014
T
oil output by a total of 33,000 bpd from
Blocks 15 and 18.
However, there was some good
production news in 2014: the new CLOV
system in Block 17 came on stream in
June, with the Block 15/06 West Hub
up and running in November 2014,
his was the confident tone of
2.6 per cent less than the 1.715 million
bringing output back to around the 1.8
board president Francisco de
bpd recorded in 2013, and reached a
million bpd mark. The LNG facility is also
Lemos José Maria at the Luanda
low point of just 1.474 million bpd in
expected to return to full operation by
March 2014.
the end of 2015.
press conference on February 25, marking
39 years since the company’s foundation.
However, Mr Lemos described 2014
Sonangol’s administrator responsible
Chief Financial Officer Fernandes
for the area of hydrocarbons exploration
Mateus told the press conference that
as a “very difficult year” as technical
and production, Paulino Jerónimo,
Sonangol suffered from low output in
faults early on led to a fall in oil and
explained that the fall in production was
the first half of 2014 when oil prices
gas output, and this was compounded
mainly due to corrosion and problems
were high and achieved greater success
by the almost halving of world oil
in the Girassol fields. Another factor was
in the second, only to find prices had
prices by December. Angola’s oil
the suspension of gas production at the
plummeted, so the company was
production averaged 1.672 million bpd,
Angola LNG plant at Soyo, which reduced
negatively affected in both periods. In
48
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
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SONANGOL 39TH ANNIVERSARY
addition, board president Lemos noted
said, was “vital for preparing and training
in contracting services from third parties
that the oil price had peaked at $110.64
specialists, managers and company
in order to develop the company’s
per barrel in June 2014 but then dropped to leaders to meet the company challenges
just $57.91 in December.
critical functions.”
for the coming years and decades”.
This is a consequence of the fact that
Other target areas for investment,
In order to do this, Mr Lemos said, it
according to the president, were the
world oil supply has been expanding
was essential to find and attract talent.
key areas of exploration, production,
rapidly thanks to the shale gas boom in
With that in mind, the Grant Study
refining, sales and distribution of crude
North America, coupled with a general
Programme would be making 5,000
oil, gas and oil products.
weakening of demand.
scholarship places available by 2020. ‘It
Sonangol’s aim is to expand its
had already awarded 1,324 of these, he
operations and raise output to the
The road to recovery
noted, and invested $1.1 billion in this
benchmark of 2 million bpd, then
Sonangol board president Lemos told
process in 2014.
maintain that rate of production and add
“The equation is simple: recruit
journalists that the strategy for turning
4 per cent to it annually.
around the difficult year just gone was to
competent personnel, improve the level
recover the company’s efficiency. This,
of salaries and make substantial savings
Other goals are to replace 100 per
cent of oil reserves each year and
he said, consisted of “improving the
functioning of our processes and
systems, reducing non-essential costs,
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
improving our spending, maintenance
of our market share, attaining the
permanent satisfaction of our clients
and in reaching our operational,
commercial and financial targets”.
Personnel power
However, the president said the most
important component of recovering
efficiency was continuous investment in
Sonangol, and one priority for 2015 was
spending on human resources. This, he
2013
2014 % CHANGE
Oil production, million bpd 1.715 1.672 - 2.6
Average barrel price, $ 107.79 96.72 - 10.3
Total sales, $ billion 41.250 36.476 - 15.9
Profits, $ billion
3.090 0.710 - 77.0
Personnel 8,870 8,473 - 4.5
Source: Sonangol E.P.
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
49
SONANGOL 39TH ANNIVERSARY
accumulate future reserves that will last
Sonangol would push ahead with large
refinery is also set to accelerate in 2015,
at least 20 years.
projects from 2017-20: Kaombo (Block
with the foundations and access road
32), Camélia (Block 21), East Hub (Block
already in place.
Sonangol also plans to boost its
quota of oil production in Angola to
26) and Orca (Block 20).
one-fifth of the total in 2020 – the figure
Mr Lemos said the Barra do Dande
During 2015, it is to undertake
Ocean Terminal with capacity of
currently stands at 13 per cent. The
pre-feasibility studies for natural gas
640,000 cubic metres of fuel and butane
company also intends to maintain its
development centred on Cabinda
gas would be built in 2016 and new fuel
lead position in the domestic market in
in the Gulf of Congo Gas System
parks completed at Soyo, Lubango
supplying refined products with at least
and the Kwanza Basin Gas System.
and Namibe.
a 65 per cent share.
Feasibility studies for building the new
Sonangol’s logistic operations would
Quinfunquena Oil Terminal at Soyo
also benefit from partnerships with
Upstream investment
should be completed this year too, the
Angola’s train companies, who would
Other tasks on the table include
president added.
jointly develop rail access to its oil
completion of the tendering of 10
terminals and buy tank wagons.
onshore blocks in the Congo and Kwanza
Logistics
basins, with a further 15 blocks in the
Work in the pipeline involves the
tanker ships this year, two of which
ultra-deepwater Congo Basin and in the
third logistic support base to support
Sonangol had already ordered, would
Namibe Basin.
oil operations in Quicombo, Kwanza
bolster the shipping pool.
The firm also intends to develop
The acquisition of four Suezmax
Sul province, while at the same time
Angola’s state oil company also
wide-ranging seismic survey campaigns
expanding the Kwanda base at Soyo in
plans to build new offices around the
including some across Angola’s interior.
Zaire province.
country in Cabinda, Soyo, Malange,
In addition, Mr Lemos promised,
Building progress on the Lobito
Lobito, Huambo and Lubango.
Sonangol also plans to boost its quota of oil
production in Angola to one-fifth of the total in
2020 – the figure currently stands at 13 per cent.
OIL SUPPLY AND DEMAND
2013 2014 % CHANGE
*World oil demand
90.2
91.2
+1.1
*World oil supply 90.1 92.1 +2.2
285.681 252.926 - 11.5
**Angola crude exports Source: Sonangol E.P. *million bpd **million barrels in 2014
50
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
SONANGOL 39TH ANNIVERSARY
All image Malocha
ANGOLA’S LARGEST CLIENTS
■ China ................................. 47%
■ India................................... 13%
■ Spain....................................6%
■ Canada.................................6%
■ Taiwan..................................6%
■ South Africa..........................5%
■ Holland.................................3%
■ Portugal...............................3%
(Clockwise from top) Francisco de Lemos José Maria, Mateus Neto, Paulino
Jerónimo, Fernandes Mateus, Ana da Costa, Fernando Roberto, Anabela Fonseca
■ United States........................3%
SONANGOL REFINED PRODUCTS
2013
2014
% CHANGE
45,873
44,886 -2.2
**Imported refined products 4,340,821 4,653,403 +7.2
**Domestic sales 6,349,862 5,216,368 - 17.9
*Luanda refining Source: Sonangol E.P. *bpd **cubic metres
SONANGOL UNIVERSO
51
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