The Republic of Congo officially entered the global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market on Tuesday, launching production of its first cargo load. This milestone comes one year after Italian energy giant Eni began the Congo LNG project in collaboration with local partners.
The inaugural LNG shipment, carried on a specialized tanker, is destined for Eni’s regasification plant in Piombino, Tuscany, Italy. Eni’s CEO, Claudio Descalzi, expressed the project’s significance, stating, “This first cargo marks the Republic of Congo’s entry into the LNG exporter group, paving the way for economic growth and contributing to global energy stability.”
Descalzi further highlighted the project’s collaborative nature, mentioning that Eni and its partners pooled resources, expertise, and technology, “generating additional revenue for the country while contributing to Europe’s energy security.” The project boasts an annual capacity of 4.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas, a fuel source used for heating homes and businesses. Natural gas is converted into LNG by cooling it to extremely low temperatures (-162 °C), allowing for safe storage and transportation on specialized vessels.
This development comes in the wake of Europe’s ongoing efforts to diversify its energy sources, particularly after severing reliance on Russian supplies following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago. According to the ISPI think tank, Russian gas exports have plummeted by 40% since the invasion. The Congo LNG project is expected to play a crucial role in Europe’s energy transition, while simultaneously fostering economic growth in the Republic of Congo.
