Sonangol becomes the first African oil producer to join the Aiming for Zero

Sonangol becomes the first African oil producer to subscribe to the “Aiming for Zero Methane Emissions Initiative,” an initiative launched by the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) with the aim of encouraging the oil and gas industry to reduce methane emissions to near zero.

Sonangol, as one of the largest oil producers on the continent, joins about 100 companies that have committed to doing everything possible to achieve nearly zero methane emissions from oil and gas facilities by 2030.

Reducing methane gas emissions is of utmost importance for meeting the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and is a top priority for OGCI, which launched the initiative in 2022.

The goal of reducing emissions to near zero also aligns with the core of the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter, an agreement signed last year at COP28 in Dubai.

Bjørn Otto Sverdrup, OGCI Executive Committee Chair said:

“I’m delighted that Sonangol has become a signatory to Aiming for Zero. It’s great to have such a major African oil company focused on reducing methane emissions and we look forward to working with them.”

Bjørn Otto Sverdrup, Oil and Gas Climate Initiative Executive Committee Chair

Sebastião Gaspar Martins, Sonangol CEO said:

“As the first African national oil and gas company to join this initiative, Sonangol demonstrates its commitment to the future of the planet. Today, more than ever, we reaffirm our ambition to ensure decarbonization and the reduction of emissions from our operations, ensuring a just transition that maintains the socioeconomic development of society.

An important point in the journey we have undertaken focuses on methane reduction, which is why we have set the target near to zero by 2030, through improvements in measuring fugitive emissions (satellites, airplanes), with the assistance of Oil & Gas partners and members of OGCI, UNEP, and leak detection and repair programs, as well as the commitment to the progressive elimination of routine gas flaring and the electrification of our facilities.

In this way, with the support of all our partners (Operators, Associations, and Technology Suppliers), we want to contribute to making life better for everyone in Africa and the world.”

Sonangol CEO, Sebastião Gaspar Martins

Background

• According to the IEA’s Global Methane Tracker 2023, the concentration of methane in the atmosphere from all human activities accounts for around 30% of the global warming the world is currently experiencing. 
• The energy sector, including oil, natural gas, coal and bioenergy, accounts for nearly 40% of methane emissions from human activity. Other sources of emissions include agriculture and landfills. 
• The Aiming for Zero Methane Emissions Initiative, which launched in March 2022 already has around 100 signatories and supporters. 
• The initiative establishes an all-in approach that treats methane emissions as seriously as the oil and gas industry already treats safety. Signatories and supporters of the initiative include major oil and gas producers, service companies and leading global consultancies.
• The initiative’s signatories and supporters believe virtually all methane emissions from the industry can and should be avoided.
• OGCI is a CEO-led organization bringing together 12 of the world’s largest energy companies to lead the oil and gas industry’s response to climate change. The group aims to accelerate collective action towards a net-zero emissions future in line with the Paris Agreement.
• Aiming for Zero complements a number of other multi-stakeholder initiatives to reduce methane emissions including the Methane Guiding Principles, the Oil & Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 and the Global Methane Alliance.