Ziggy Ojiegbe

Italy’s energy major Eni has shipped its first LNG cargo from the Nguya FLNG facility, marking the official start-up of Phase II of the Congo LNG project in the Republic of Congo.

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The milestone was celebrated in Pointe-Noire in the presence of President Denis Sassou N’Guesso and Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi, underscoring the strategic importance of the project for both the country and the company.

With Phase II now online, Congo LNG reaches a total liquefaction capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum. That equates to roughly 4.5 billion cubic metres of gas per year, sourced from the Nené and Litchendjili fields in the offshore Marine XII license. The second phase centers on the Nguya floating LNG unit, following the launch of Phase I in December 2023 with the Tango FLNG facility.

The project is a core pillar of Eni’s strategy to expand its global LNG footprint through cost-competitive developments in diversified regions. The company is targeting 20 million tonnes per annum of LNG capacity by 2030 from its equity portfolio. Congo LNG plays a key role in that plan, adding flexible volumes into international markets at a time of sustained global gas demand.

Descalzi highlighted that Eni’s early decision to invest in gas development more than two decades ago enabled both domestic market growth and export potential. Phase II was delivered just 35 months after construction of the Nguya FLNG unit began, a pace that sets a new benchmark for execution in the LNG sector. Phase I reached start-up only a year after project definition.

Beyond exports, the development has domestic implications. Eni has operated in Congo since 1968 and remains the country’s leading producer of associated and non-associated gas. In 2025, its equity production stands at roughly 70,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, with output expected to rise to 110,000 boe/d in 2026.

The company supplies gas to the Congo Power Plant, which accounts for about 70 percent of the country’s electricity generation capacity, and supports the expansion of high-voltage transmission infrastructure. It is also involved in energy transition initiatives, including an agri-feedstock program aimed at integrating Congo into the biofuels value chain and supporting local agro-industrial development.

Congo LNG therefore serves a dual purpose. It strengthens Eni’s position in the global LNG market while anchoring long-term energy and economic development in the Republic of the Congo.