The session spoke on main factors to consider under the Angolan legal framework and how to perform contracts for the petroleum services and private equity sectors in the country. During the presentation, Catanas highlighted Angola’s contract structure, showcasing the rules that are enforced by the country’s oil and gas operations regulator, the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANPG).
“Local content is a set of rules that are enforced by the ANPG that makes sure and promotes the involvement of Angolan businesses and promotes the hiring and recruitment of Angolan personnel,” Catanas stated, adding, “The companies that need to comply are exploration and production companies, they need to comply with the awarding of contractors and training. Service providers also need to engage in the training and hiring of Angolan personnel.”
He highlighted four factors in Angolan law that serve as requisites for international companies seeking to participate in the country’s exploration and production sector. The four factors are local content regulations, permanent establishment, employment and regulation, and foreign exchange regulations.
Meanwhile, it was noted that the ANPG has set up three categories of services – exclusivity, preferential, and competition – whereby companies must prepare and submit training and development plans to make a bid for a contract in Angola.
Lowery spoke on the various components for operators who aim to work as an overseas service provider. He explained that the training and development of local Angolans to promote local content in the country is an imperative aspect of acquiring a contracting strategy in Angola.
“Local content has various components. The biggest is training and development of local Angolans. The more Angolans you have, the less exposure you have to foreign exchange regulations,” Lowery stated.
The technical session took place on the sidelines of the AOG 2023 conference and exhibition, which was held under the theme, ‘Energy Security, Decarbonization and Sustainable Development’. This year’s conference, now in its fourth edition, was held from 14-15 September in Luanda.
