TotalEnergies announced on 1st November a protocol with Sonangol on reducing methane emissions in Angola. The cooperation covers measuring releases, reporting them and technical training.
The partners will also look for ways to electrify facilities and reduce flaring. Use of the World Bank's GFMR fund is under consideration, but it does not constitute secured financing.
This cooperation builds on an existing relationship. On 5 December 2023, at COP28, TotalEnergies had presented agreements with Sonangol, Petrobras and SOCAR to carry out detection and measurement campaigns at facilities operated by those companies. The aim was to make the AUSEA technology available to operators other than the French group.
The tool combines a miniaturised gas analyser with a drone. It detects methane and carbon dioxide and helps locate the source, including at hard-to-reach points. The 2023 statement described its use at onshore and offshore facilities.