Italian energy giant Eni has accelerated into the next chapter of its ambitious Congo LNG development, bringing the second phase online ahead of schedule off the coast of the Republic of Congo. The milestone marks a significant expansion of Africa’s growing liquefied natural gas export capacity.
The launch of Congo LNG Phase 2 enables the FLNG Nguya to join the FLNG Tango, which has been operational at the project since late 2023. The Eni-operated development is designed to exploit gas resources from the Marine XII project, with two floating LNG units stationed at the Nenè and Litchendjili fields.
Following the arrival of the second floating liquefaction unit and the commissioning of new offshore infrastructure, Eni announced plans to export the first LNG cargo from Phase 2 in early 2026. The 376-meter-long and 60-meter-wide FLNG Nguya employs advanced technologies to minimize its carbon footprint and can process gas with varying compositions, supporting potential development of additional fields in the region.
Phase 2 features three production platforms and the Scarabeo 5 unit, which handles gas treatment and compression, along with the FLNG Nguya for liquefaction and export. This brings the overall project capacity to 3 million tonnes per annum, equivalent to 4.5 billion cubic meters annually.
The Scarabeo 5, converted from a drilling rig into a gas treatment, separation, and compression unit, incorporates decarbonization-oriented solutions, serving as an example of circular economy principles and industrial reuse. The integrated configuration enables full development of gas resources from the offshore fields and ensures flexible, phased management of volumes, guaranteeing steady flow to both FLNG units.
Eni confirmed Phase 2 came online just 35 months after construction of the FLNG Nguya began, setting what the company describes as a new industry benchmark for execution speed and efficiency. The achievement was made possible through technological innovation, rigorous industrial planning, and strong engagement with local stakeholders, with significant portions of the project carried out entirely in Congo.
Eni has maintained a presence in the Republic of Congo for over 55 years and supplies gas to the Centrale Électrique du Congo, which provides 70% of the nation’s power generation capacity. The company is also contributing to transmission network upgrades through rehabilitation of the high-voltage line between Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville.
Source: offshore-energy.biz, energy-pedia.com