Angola has launched a public consultation for its draft National Gas Master Plan (NGMP). Representing the next step in the implementation of the policy, the public consultation provides members of the public with the opportunity to offer their comments, criticisms and suggestions.

The NGMP will be available on the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas website for 30 days. In line with national objectives to increase the share of gas in the energy matrix to 25% by 2025, the NGMP serves as a blueprint for investing in Angola’s gas industry.

Speaking at the launch, Angola’s Secretary of State for Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas José Barroso explained that “the public consultation of the NGMP serves as an essential tool to ensure that the main needs and expectations of all stakeholders interested in the development of a natural gas value chain are met, thus obtaining the consensus and support of specialists and society in general in the extraction and use of natural gas resources.”

Forming part of the country’s broader National Development Plan (2013-2027), the NGMP is a consolidated strategy for developing, utilizing and monetization Angola’s natural gas resources over a period of 30 years. Positioning natural gas as a catalyst for economic growth, the NGMP seeks to incentivize investment across the entire gas value chain.

“The NGMP focuses on the development of discovered natural gas resources, the exploration of prospective resources, as well as the creation of an attractive regulatory, legal and fiscal framework for investment. [Additionally], it focuses on the development of infrastructure and an open, competitive and dynamic domestic market,” added Secretary Barroso.

The Gas Master Plan follows the implementation of Law 10/14 – amended by Law 5/19 – which prohibits gas flaring across all hydrocarbon operations. While both associated and non-associated resources have been discovered in recent years, the lack of requisite infrastructure has impacted development. The NGMP offers a solution to this challenge by providing a clear blueprint of how to invest in Angola’s gas industry.