According to Luís Fernandes, the General Director of the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute (IRDP), who spoke during the technical assessment meeting of the Mining Sector this Tuesday in Ndalatando, the province of Cuanza-Norte has a liquid fuel storage capacity exceeding one million cubic meters of diesel, gasoline, and kerosene. However, it does not yet have a storage or filling facility for gas, meaning it is supplied by road through wholesale clients from Luanda and Malanje.
Cuanza-Norte, he added, has a network of 17 existing fuel stations, including 11 operated by Sonangol, three by TEMA, two by Bandeira Branca, and one by Pumangol. In the national mapping of fuel stations for the third quarter of 2024, it was found that of the 15 operational stations, 14 are conventional, and one is containerized.
He noted that the 15 operational fuel stations in Cuanza-Norte are distributed as follows: six in Cazengo, four in Cambambe, two in Lucala, while the municipalities of Golungo-Alto, Samba-Cajú, Lucala, and Ambaca each have one station.
Luís Fernandes explained that several projects are in the pipeline for the most underserved municipalities, such as Banga, Bolongongo, Quiculungo, and Ngonguembo. By the end of 2027, these municipalities will benefit from the construction and implementation of three fuel stations to expand the refined products distribution network and address the lack of economic infrastructure in these areas.
The General Director of the IRDP further detailed that, within the scope of the petroleum derivatives sector, licensing responsibilities were transferred for operating fuel stations with a capacity of 200 cubic meters or less, retail sales of butane gas (cooking gas), kerosene, lubricants, and diesel resale for industrial consumption.