The Republic of Congo is preparing to launch the first phase of its Bango Kayo expansion project – developed in partnership with Chinese energy company Wing Wah – this year. Fabrice Okassa, Upstream Advisor to the Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo, shared that the onshore project will support the country’s diversification efforts during a fireside chat at the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference on Wednesday. The fireside chat was a prelude to the Congo Energy & Investment Forum (CIEF) – organized by Energy Capital & Power – taking place March 25-26, 2025.

As sub-Saharan Africa’s fourth largest oil producer, the Republic of Congo has ambitions to accelerate diversification through investments in natural gas infrastructure. The Bango Kayo project aligns with this goal. As a multi-phase development, the project will produce 30 billion cubic meters of associated gas over a period of 25 years. In addition to Bango Kayo, the country delivered its first LNG cargo from the Tango FLNG facility – part of the Congo LNG project - in February 2024. The project aims to produce 3 million tons of LNG per year by 2025 with the start of a second FLNG vessel.

“The idea and vision of the Minister and government is to try and diversify the industry alongside different partners,” Okassa said. “It is necessary to increase the pipeline of upstream investment and diversify through natural gas. We have a lot of big companies working in Congo and this will help us diversify our capacity and tackle production challenges.”

The country has also set a target to increase crude production to 500,000 barrels per day in the medium to long-term. Various upstream projects are underway to achieve this goal. Energy major TotalEnergies is investing $600 million in exploration and production in the country, with specific focus on the development of the Moho Nord field. The company has also increased its stake in the Mogo-Bilondo field to 63.5% while it continues to operate the Marine XX deepwater permit. In 2024, Trident Energy joined the market with the acquisition of Chevron’s Congolese assets while independent energy company Perenco also acquired several oil permits from Eni’s portfolio.

The country is also seeking strengthened partnerships with regional neighbors to drive production. According to Okassa, “With all these new projects, especially in mature fields and the development of gas, we are fully ready to work with our counterparts. In order to optimize production, we need to listen to our investors and put in place strong fiscals. Our desire is to attract foreign investors and to also create synergy with our brothers in Gabon, Angola and elsewhere.”

Taking place in Brazzaville, CIEF underscores the growing role the country plays in Africa’s energy landscape. In the midst of first LNG exports and anticipated oil production, the event will not only provide insight into the latest upstream developments but offer a strategic opportunity for new investors and project developers to join the market.

CIEF is organized in partnership with the country’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and with the support of the African Energy Chamber. Visit www.CongoEnergyInvestment.com for more information.