On Tuesday, the African nation of Congo marked its entry into the league of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters as it initiated the production of its inaugural cargo. This milestone comes a year after the launch of the Congo LNG project by Italian energy company ENI in collaboration with local partners.
ENI announced that the first cargo, loaded onto a ship, is set to journey to the Italian regasification facility located in the Tuscan town of Piombino in the upcoming days.
According to ENI’s statement, the initiation of LNG exports positions the Republic of Congo among LNG-exporting nations, creating avenues for economic growth and contributing to the global energy equilibrium.
Claudio Descalzi, ENI’s CEO, emphasized the collaborative efforts with local partners, expressing that shared labor, knowledge, and technology not only generate additional revenue for the country but also contribute to enhancing Europe’s energy security.
The Congo LNG project boasts an annual capacity of 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, catering to the heating needs of homes and businesses. LNG is produced through the cooling of gas to approximately -162°C, enabling its safe storage and transportation via specially designed ships.
In light of Europe’s quest for alternative energy sources following the cessation of gas supplies from Russia after its significant invasion of Ukraine two years ago, ENI’s new LNG venture with Congo provides a strategic and timely addition to the region’s energy mix. Russian gas sales abroad have witnessed a 40% decline since the invasion, according to the think tank ISPI.
