French engineering and technology company Technip Energies has been awarded two Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contracts by Société Gabonaise de Raffinage (SOGARA) for the upgrade and expansion of the Port-Gentil refinery — a central pillar of Gabon’s strategy to slash reliance on imported petroleum products.
Despite operating the SOGARA refinery, Gabon currently imports refined petroleum products because the facility cannot meet domestic demand. The expansion is designed to change that, with an ambition to triple the refinery’s processing capacity by 2030.
Under the first contract, Technip Energies will focus on debottlenecking the existing plant, upgrading process units, installing a new kerosene sweetening unit, and developing four additional storage facilities. The second contract covers engineering services for a new modularised hydrocracker complex to significantly expand overall refining capacity.
Additional scope includes the development of a new marine jetty and offloading facility, as well as integration of Technip Energies’ proprietary Steam Methane Reforming technology for hydrogen production. These upgrades will also enable SOGARA to meet Africa 5 fuel specifications — the continental standard for cleaner, low-sulphur fuels.
Loïc Chapuis, President of Project Delivery & Services at Technip Energies, said the new hydrocracker complex demonstrates the company’s ability to combine engineering excellence, technology integration, and proprietary hydrogen technology to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions.
Gabon’s refinery expansion reflects a broader trend across Africa, where nations are scaling downstream capacity in response to rising populations and growing fuel demand.
Source: energycapitalpower.com