Block 14

Block 14 Oil and Gas Block Profile

Location

Block 14 is located offshore Angola, in the lower Congo basin, approximately 80 kilometres offshore. It straddles the maritime border between Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Coordinates

The block is situated at approximate coordinates of -5.577, 11.527 (WGS 84).

Operator and Ownership

The block is operated by Cabinda Gulf Oil Company Limited (CABGOC), a subsidiary of Chevron, which holds a 31% stake. The other partners include:

• Sonangol: 20%
• Eni: 20%
• Total (or its successors): 20%
• Galp Energia (or its successors, such as Petrogal Exploration): 9%.

History and Development

• Exploration and production activities in Block 14 began with significant discoveries, including the Kuito Field in 1997, which became Angola’s first producing deepwater field in 1999.
• The block has been developed in several phases, including the Benguela, Belize, Lobito, and Tomboco (BBLT) fields and the Tômbua-Lândana field.
  • The BBLT development involves a Compliant Piled Tower (CPT) and is one of the tallest freestanding structures in the world, standing at approximately 512 meters from the seafloor to the top of its derrick.
  • The Tômbua-Lândana field, located in a water depth of 366 meters, started production with an expected peak of 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day and estimated recoverable resources of 350 million barrels.

Production and Reserves

• The block has multiple development areas, including Kuito, Benguela-Belize-Lobito-Tomboco, Tômbua-Lândana, Negage, and Gabela.
• As of 2022, the block's net daily production averaged 70,000 barrels of liquids and 259 million cubic feet of natural gas.
• The total production capacity of Block 14 is approximately 3.29 million barrels per year.

Infrastructure and Technology

• The BBLT development features a CPT supporting an integrated drilling facility, capable of drilling to 30,000 feet. It includes facilities for water re-injection and handles significant volumes of water and gas.
• The Tômbua-Lândana project includes 46 wells, a subsea center, and is designed for no discharge of produced water and no routine gas flaring. The associated natural gas is sent to the Angolan Liquefied Natural Gas project in Soyo, Angola.

Contracts and Partnerships

• Various contracts have been awarded for different aspects of the project, including engineering, procurement, construction, and installation. Companies involved include Daewoo, Mustang, Subsea 7, Vetco Gray, KCA/Deutag, and National Oilwell Varco.
• In 2024, new terms were signed for the co-development of Block 14 between Angola and the DRC, covering activities in the common zone and enhancing cooperation in commerce, business, and investment.

Recent Developments

• In October 2020, the Angolan government approved combining all of Block 14’s development areas, providing enhanced fiscal terms and extending the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) to 2028.
• In 2023, CABGOC signed a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) to operate the Block 14/23 (B14/23) concession area in the Zone of Common Interest (ZIC) between Angola and the DRC.

Environmental and Operational Practices

• The projects within Block 14 are designed with environmental considerations, such as no discharge of produced water and no routine gas flaring.
• The use of water-injection technology and other advanced practices ensures optimal pressure during production and minimizes environmental impact.