Congo-Brazzaville: soon a second refinery in Pointe Noire
Audio 02:21
The port city of Pointe-Noire is the economic hub of the Congo (illustrative image).
AFP
By: Loïcia Martial
5 mins
Congo-Brazzaville will have a second refinery in the city of Pointe Noire, thanks to a financing agreement signed with the Chinese company Beijing Fortune Dingheng.
With a capacity of 2.5 million tonnes per year, the project aims to cover national needs and make Congo an exporter of refined products.
But, the experts call for good governance and especially respect for the environment.
Publicity
It is difficult to find kerosene in service stations in Brazzaville.
Some stations have even removed the delivery pumps for this product.
The Congolaise de raffinage (Coraf), the first operational refinery since 1982, covers only 70% of the country's needs, which will embark on the construction of a second refinery.
Alphonse Obami, Missions Advisor, in charge of oil downstream at the Ministry of Hydrocarbons: “
According to our estimates, it would be very likely that in the first quarter of 2021, work on this second refinery will begin
.
"
Alphonse Obami explains the reasons which push the authorities to set up this second refinery.
“
It is to meet the growing needs of our industry and the growing needs of our population for fuels.
She could play a bigger role.
“
We are reassured, we will export petroleum products to the sub-region, and why not to the world market.
"
The amount of the financing agreement for this flexible refinery, which will be located in the Pointe-Noire special economic zone, has not been revealed.
Its characteristics were presented by Sen Shao, representative of the Chinese company "
The company plans to install a refinery, which will have a nominal refining capacity of 2
500
000
tons / year.
The typical model is that of a modular refinery whose end products will mainly be higher quality gasolines and gas oils, liquefied petroleum gases, light fuel oils, and lamp oils.
Says Mr. Shao.
National coordinator of the “Publish What You Pay” Campaign, Christian Mounzéo, for his part, remains concerned about governance and environmental management: “
It is useful to resolve first and foremost all the problems concerning governance. of this sector (oil Editor's note).
In addition, let us not forget that there is a reputation for Asian companies, Chinese in particular, which are in a way little concerned with the concerns of the questions related to the management of the environment.
"
In terms of refining, the Congo officially uses only 10% of its oil production estimated between 300,000 and 350,000 barrels per day.
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