• Angola deploys its first offshore carbon capture system on an FPSO at the Agogo field.

• The project could cut emissions by up to 27%.

• The move aligns with a strategy to reduce emissions while sustaining oil production.

Angola has introduced carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture into offshore oil operations. On Monday, March 30, Yinson Production announced that it commissioned a carbon capture and storage unit aboard a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel (FPSO) operating at the Agogo field in offshore Block 15/06.

The system uses CESAR1, a chemical solvent that captures carbon dioxide from exhaust gases. This process belongs to post-combustion capture technologies already used in certain onshore industrial facilities.

Yinson stated that engineers adapted the system to offshore constraints. The company designed the system to operate in limited space and complex installations at sea. It has started monitoring performance under real operating conditions.

At the Agogo field, the FPSO produces and processes oil offshore with a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day under the Agogo Integrated West Hub project. Azule Energy operates the project, which combines the development of the Agogo and Ndungu fields in Block 15/06.

A Step Aligned with Climate Strategy

Yinson Production said this deployment marks the first use of a CO₂ capture system on an offshore oil site. The unit operates directly on the production site without interrupting ongoing oil operations.

At the national level, this development aligns with Angola’s policy to reduce emissions while maintaining hydrocarbon output. According to its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), submitted in September 2025 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Angola targets an unconditional 5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, which could reach 11% with international support.

The document specifies that the oil and gas sector remains a primary target, particularly through reducing flaring and fugitive emissions.

Moreover, an analysis published in February 2026 by EU Reporter described Angola’s trajectory as “pragmatic,” combining oil and gas development with the gradual introduction of low-carbon technologies. This approach includes carbon capture, offshore electrification, and the use of gas as a transition fuel.

Agogo Project Supports Emissions Reduction

The Agogo Integrated West Hub project reflects this strategy. According to Offshore Energy, the integration of post-combustion CO₂ capture on the vessel could reduce emissions linked to operations by up to 27%.

Meanwhile, other developments are advancing in Angola’s oil sector. Agence Ecofin reported that TotalEnergies is preparing the Kaminho project, with commissioning expected by 2028. The project plans to deploy a fully electrified vessel and reinject associated gas to limit emissions and flaring.

In parallel, Angola is implementing additional measures to reduce the carbon footprint of its energy sector. Climate Analytics stated that the government has committed to ending routine flaring by 2030 through the introduction of financial penalties.

As part of these regulatory measures, Angola is also developing non-associated gas as a transition resource while exploring emerging sectors such as green hydrogen. According to Oil & Gas Middle East, the national company Sonangol plans to reach production of up to 400,000 tonnes per year from 2027.

This article was initially published in French by Abdel-Latif Boureima

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum