Within the scope of the reform of the Angolan petroleum sector, the National Assembly approved an amendment to the Petroleum Activities Law (Law No. 10/04, of 12 November 2004) by means of Law No. 5/19, of 18 April 2019.

One of the key features of this amendment was to institute the National Agency for Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás e Biocombustíveis, “ANPG”) as the new National Concessionaire, the holder of the petroleum mining rights. This has also been reflected in an amendment to the Petroleum Taxation Law (Law No. 13/04, of 24 December 2004), as per Law No. 6/19, of 18 April 2019.

While Sonangol EP no longer holds the privileges of National Concessionaire, together with its affiliates it has been granted certain other rights through this amendment, including the benefit of being carried during exploration operations, as well as specific preferential rights in the following cases:

(i) assignments between non-affiliated companies (applicable to Sonangol EP);

(ii) access to acreage with a participating interest of up to 20%, and to be appointed operator in extensions of production periods, subject to certain requirements being met (applicable to Sonangol EP);

(iii) access to acreage with a participating interest of up to 20% in new petroleum concessions (applicable to Sonangol EP and its affiliates); and

(iv) appointment as operator in new petroleum concessions, in general, subject to certain requirements being met (applicable to Sonangol EP and its affiliates).

This amendment to the Petroleum Activities Law is deemed the final step for adapting the legal framework to the transfer of the role of National Concessionaire from Sonangol EP to ANPG, any notices to the National Concessionaire to be henceforth addressed to ANPG.

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