Angola LNG’s third scheduled general maintenance shutdown since the facility began operations in 2012 is fuelling concern among market analysts, who warn that a temporary 80% reduction in gas output over 32 days — beginning 8 July 2026 — risks driving up demand and prices for cooking gas if the disruption follows the pattern seen in 2022.
An analyst consulted by this newspaper cautioned that the curtailment could trigger a surge in cooking gas demand and, consequently, push up retail prices for the product, should the conditions that characterised the 2022 shutdown recur.
According to official information, this is the third general planned stoppage at the Angola LNG plant since it commenced operations in 2012. Previous shutdowns of this nature took place in 2018 and 2022.
The shutdown, which began on 8 July 2026, forms part of the plant’s periodic maintenance cycle and is being carried out concurrently with works at the Sanha Complex and the Sanha FPSO platform, both located in Cabinda.
In an official communiqué, the National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) confirmed that LNG production and the output of its derivatives will be temporarily suspended for the duration of the maintenance period. Monthly gas production and loadings are expected to be reduced by approximately 80%, while the impact on output at the Sanha Complex is estimated at around 49,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
The ANPG added that the intervention is part of standard maintenance and operational integrity practices, designed to strengthen operational safety, preserve equipment reliability, and improve performance and efficiency levels at the liquefied natural gas processing unit.
Source: O País / Original article: www.opais.ao
