Minister Diamantino Pedro Azevedo underscored the significance of Sonangol’s “Falcão 2” Gas Reception and Distribution Unit (URDG) in Soyo, Zaire, marking a crucial stride toward completing the ammonia and urea factory, pivotal components of fertilizer production.
Addressing the inauguration of the facility that will process and manage 50 million cubic feet of gas daily, supplied by Angola LNG to fuel the Soyo I Combined Cycle power plant, Minister Azevedo urged the Sonangol and Opaya consortium—tasked with constructing the future ammonia and urea factory—to meet contractual deadlines for the nation’s fertilizer self-sufficiency.
Constructed by MECWIDE Angola over 23 months in a four-hectare space, the URDG, “Falcão Phase 2,” possesses the capacity to treat 50 million cubic feet of gas daily, facilitated by a newly built nine-kilometer gas pipeline.
Situated in Quintambi, near Soyo, the $42.8 million infrastructure is linked to Falcão 1, totaling 125 million feet supplied to the Soyo Combined Cycle plant, generating 750 MW of electrical energy from its six turbines—four gas and two steam.
The initial phase of the Falcão project, completed from October 2015 to December 2017, involved an eight-kilometer gas pipeline, a provisional solution for providing dry gas to the Soyo Combined Cycle plant.
Minister Azevedo emphasized the critical role of this venture not only in ensuring the energy needs of the Soyo I Combined Cycle but also as a crucial element for the realization of the ammonia and urea factory. He cautioned Sonangol and Opaya to adhere to their commitments for the timely construction of the factory.
The governor highlighted the future ammonia and urea production unit as pivotal for fertilizer self-sufficiency, forming a significant part of the broader strategy to establish a robust petrochemical refining and fertilizer industry in response to declining oil reserves.
Minister Azevedo underscored the strategic importance of projects like Falcão 2 in steering toward this ambitious goal, emphasizing the need for precise and diligent execution.
