ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has won a $151 million order from the energy company Eni Congo SA to engineer, build and commission a new natural gas compression station and treatment plant in the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). The order was booked in the first quarter.
The new plant will be located at the onshore M’Boundi oil field near the Atlantic coast, and will provide compressed natural gas to power the turbines at two nearby power plants in Djeno. These plants currently supply most of the country’s electricity.

The project is part of Congo’s “zero flaring” program, set up to reduce emissions from the burning of excess fuel and use locally extracted energy more efficiently. Natural gas that was previously flared off and wasted at existing oil processing operations will instead be used to substantially increase Congo's power generating capacity, and provide the country with a reliable source of electricity. Excess gas will be re-injected into the reservoir.

ABB will provide overall project management, engineering, procurement, construction supervision, commissioning and start-up services, as well as performance testing of the gas compression and gas treatment processes. The plant is scheduled for completion in under two years.

“This contract underscores ABB's ability to execute all aspects of complex projects for the oil and gas industry,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB’s Process Automation division. “Our commitment to help our customers reach their sustainability goals while achieving their production targets, together with our successful long-term relationship with this customer, helped us win this important order.”

In 2008, ABB won the contract to build a 320 megawatt (MW) power plant in Djeno. The plant started operations in 2010.

Eni Congo SA is a subsidiary of Italy’s Eni, an integrated energy company, committed to developing its activities in exploration, production, transportation, transformation and marketing of oil and natural gas.