A key contributor to the oil and gas industry’s recovery in Angola, Ponticelli Angoil operates as a trusted full-service provider to the country’s petrochemical and industrial sectors. François Bacci, Managing Director, tells us more.
OILING UP ANGOLA
Africa has developed a long-standing reputation for being one of the world’s primary oil and gas providers, with a reported 10 million barrels of crude oil generated per day, contributing to approximately 10 percent of global production.
Moreover, around 75 percent of the continent’s crude oil is exported across the world, whilst a vast majority of its petroleum products are imported, placing Africa in a highly unique position compared to other regional oil producers.
The continent’s unparalleled position can be attributed to its extensive list of oil and gas producers, including Nigeria, Algeria, and Angola, which stand as key players in Africa’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) production.
For the latter, the oil and gas sector remains a cornerstone of the country’s economy and a primary pillar in its wider energy landscape, offering numerous opportunities for growth, investment, and innovation.
In recent years, however, the Angolan oil and gas industry has faced significant disruption and turbulence, as a surge in global oil demand coincided with plummeting prices following the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is evidenced by the fact that the nation produced 1.3 million tonnes of oil per day in 2020, which was its lowest production level in a decade. Limited public and private investment from both domestic and international sources further compounded this, resulting in a major impact on the sector’s growth.
Despite these historical challenges, Angola’s oil and gas industry continues to offer a vibrant and opportunistic environment.
The sector’s revitalisation is, in part, due to numerous legislations that have driven major industry innovations and increased investment into the country’s mature gas fields, which has helped stabilise production and create a more robust industry landscape.
For example, the Angolan government launched the Hydrocarbon Exploration Strategy in 2020 to incentivise the replacement of ageing oil reserves over a five-year period and combat the country’s decline in hydrocarbon production, paving the way for greater exploration activity.
The industry has also experienced myriad technological enhancements to help make exploration and production more sustainable whilst enhancing existing energy infrastructure.
These advancements offer promising potential for technological innovation, opening the door to new projects in both subsea and topside operations across Angola.
“It is a dynamic and evolving space, balancing stable output from mature fields with exciting new prospects as the industry adapts to global energy trends,” introduces François Bacci, Managing Director of Ponticelli Angoil, a leading provider of industrial oil and gas services in Angola.
LEVERAGING VAST INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE
Ponticelli Angoil was established as a result of Ponticelli Frères Group’s (Ponticelli Group) international expansion into the Angolan oil and gas market.
The parent company has experienced substantial growth over the past century, as it now stands as one of Europe’s main service suppliers, providing cutting-edge solutions and infrastructure for a vast range of energy sectors, namely oil and gas, nuclear, conventional, and renewable power, and life sciences.
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Ponticelli Group’s unmatched energy expertise began in 1921 when the group was born from steadfast determination.
“Its history begins with three Ponticelli brothers – Céleste, Bonfils, and Lazare – who, through courage, hard work, and audacity, established the foundations of this great company from nothing,” Bacci informs.
Ponticelli Group still upholds a strong tie to its family roots whilst providing the oil and gas industry’s major global players with critical design, construction, and maintenance expertise for their facilities, ensuring long-term safety and performance.
The group’s engineering services, in particular, span the pre-project design stage to detailed end studies, offering vital support to ensure the success of its clients’ projects.
Ponticelli Group is also proud to be a construction specialist, providing expertise in key mechanics trades, industrial piping, and lifting and rigging. As part of its services, it also constructs new, state-of-the-art plants as well as developing the capacities of existing installations for its onshore and offshore clients across the world.
The group is additionally renowned for its specialist maintenance services for industrial facilities. Ponticelli Group ensures the upkeep, modernisation, and compliance of plants to enable operators to maximise productive potential.
With such a vast pool of knowledge to draw from, Ponticelli Angoil leverages and applies Ponticelli Group’s industry expertise to the Angolan oil and gas landscape.
“We use the knowledge acquired by the group over the decades to operate successfully, maintaining the values that have cemented reputation – quality services with the utmost respect for safety and deadlines to ensure client satisfaction,” Bacci highlights.
Indeed, Ponticelli Group strives to uphold its commitment to quality, innovation, and improving focus, which contributes to the group’s client satisfaction-oriented approach.
CUTTING-EDGE, CUSTOMISED SOLUTIONS
As a highly reputable provider of industrial services across Angola, Ponticelli Angoil specialises in engineering, construction, maintenance, asset management, and decommissioning support for the nation’s oil and gas and petrochemical sectors.
“This end-to-end service capability enables clients to rely on the company as a full-service partner,” Bacci points out.
In recognition of its services, Ponticello Angoil is ISO 9001, 45001, and 14001-certified, solidifying the company’s commitment to quality, safety, sustainability, and efficiency.
Ponticelli Angoil operates four fabrication plants across three strategic locations – Luanda, Cabinda, and Soyo – which allow it to provide localised services and support to clients.
The company’s international client base includes the Angolan state-owned oil organisation, Sonangol, as well as TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, Azule Energy, Chevron, and many other significant players in the oil and gas sectors.
Ponticelli Angoil prioritises building long-term relationships with clients by deeply understanding each of their needs and, therefore, providing customised services, differentiating it from the standardised solutions of its competitors.
Indeed, the company prides itself on its ability to offer tailor-made solutions that cater to clients’ particular requirements. This flexibility allows it to adapt to a variety of operational environments, whether on offshore platforms or onshore sites.
Ponticelli Angoil’s ability to not only meet but exceed set targets is demonstrated by its proven operational track record, which has earned it a strong reputation for consistently delivering complex projects on time and within budget for major oil and gas companies.
“Our extensive experience in managing large-scale, technically demanding projects gives the company a significant competitive advantage,” Bacci attests.
Additionally, Ponticelli Angoil upholds a steadfast commitment to safety in the workplace, which is of the utmost importance in the oil and gas industry.
“The company maintains a strong culture of safety, adhering to stringent international standards and regulations. This dedication to safety and compliance ensures operational dependency and instils confidence in clients,” he expands.
Moreover, Ponticelli Angoil is further distinguished by its deep-rooted vision which centres around a strategic approach, making significant investments in technology, infrastructure, and talent development for the future.
“This long-term perspective allows us to build strong, lasting relationships with clients, consistently improve our service offerings, and adapt to the evolving needs of the oil and gas industry.”
SUBSEA CAPABILITIES
A critical element of Ponticelli Angoil’s success is its unparalleled subsea capabilities, which the company has placed considerable effort and investment into in recent years, expanding its operations and establishing itself as a strong player in subsea fabrication.
“We began with simpler structures and equipment, such as well jumpers and mud mats, and progressively enhanced our expertise, skills, and experience to tackle more complex structures, including pipeline end terminations (PLETS) and flowline end terminations (FLETS),” Bacci outlines.
These projects have strengthened the company’s core competencies in subsea fabrication and allowed it to develop new areas of proficiency.
“Today, we are proud to say that Ponticelli Angoil can cover the full range of subsea fabrication scopes, including manifolds and suction pipes.”
Moreover, the company boasts an ambitious project schedule for the coming year, with its flagship operation being the completion of its subsea works at the Begonia oil field by mid-2025, working with McDermott on a contract for TotalEnergies.
The operation includes the fabrication and load-out of subsea structures, where Ponticelli Angoil’s team plays a crucial role in ensuring the systems are built to strict specifications and adhere to the highest standards of quality.
“We are committed to supporting contractors throughout the process, ensuring that the installation is seamlessly integrated and fully operational, enhancing the facility’s capabilities.”
Therefore, as subsea technology continues to evolve, this project aligns with the company’s mission to drive innovation and deliver top-tier service to the oil and gas sector and is vital for boosting Angola’s offshore production capability.
SUPPLY CHAIN PROWESS
A further critical element of Ponticelli Angoil’s success is its extensive supply chain, as the business endeavours to maintain strong partnerships with both local and international partners.
“At Ponticelli Angoil, we work closely with a network of suppliers and contractors to ensure seamless operations across all our projects,” Bacci expands.
Local partnerships are particularly important to the company, as they contribute to the national economy and help develop regional capabilities.
Prioritising regional suppliers also aligns with the government’s drive for increased local content, which it has brought to the fore with a vast range of legislation that it hopes will stimulate domestic market growth.
From an international perspective, global partnerships provide invaluable access to advanced technology, unmatched expertise, and high-quality materials that prove crucial for Ponticelli Angoil’s more complex projects, such as its subsea works.
“The balance between leveraging local talent and international know-how enables us to maintain a high standard of service whilst being competitive in a dynamic market,” he states.
As such, one of Ponticelli Angoil’s key objectives going forwards is to enhance its local content by empowering regional companies and encouraging global organisations to establish a presence in Angola.
OVERCOMING LABOUR DIFFICULTIES
Angola’s labour market has witnessed high unemployment rates in recent years, affecting the construction, manufacturing, energy, and oil and gas sectors most acutely, and Ponticelli Angoil was no stranger to industry-wide adversity.
“We certainly faced significant challenges with labour shortages last year, and the demand for skilled workers was high across the sector due to the number of simultaneous projects in the market,” Bacci recalls.
To address these challenges, Ponticelli Angoil implemented a more structured approach to talent acquisition and invested in training programmes to quickly upskill new recruits.
This is evidenced by the sheer number of welders it has trained and qualified for subsea projects, which have subsequently experienced an outstandingly low repair rate.
The company is currently experiencing a stabilisation in the number of ongoing market projects, which is providing it with the opportunity to focus more on the training and development of its personnel.
Indeed, with fewer overlapping demands, the company has more time to invest in upskilling its team and ensuring it is fully equipped to meet the needs of future projects.
As such, due to this period of stabilisation, Ponticelli Angoil is able to build a stronger and more capable workforce and strengthen its internal resources to improve readiness for future growth.
UNION, WORK, WISDOM
Employing 1,500 members of staff worldwide, Ponticelli Angoil boasts a highly skilled, technical workforce comprising engineering teams, project managers, and tradespeople dedicated to delivering excellence.
“Our staff are at the heart of the company, and we are proud of their dedication, expertise, and commitment to excellence,” Bacci prides.
Indeed, Ponticelli Angoil recognises that its success is directly linked to the contributions of its employees, which is why empowering them is a core part of the company’s philosophy.
Therefore, once new talent has been onboarded, it heavily invests in training and development to retain teams and ensure they are equipped with the latest skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the oil and gas sector.
The maintenance of staff is also supported by employee shareholding and living by Ponticelli Group’s founding motto – ‘Union, Work, Wisdom’.
This not only helps staff grow professionally but also ensures they are confident in delivering high-quality work on complex projects and possess the in-depth knowledge necessary to operate cutting-edge technologies.
Thus, whether through specialised training or leadership development programmes, Ponticelli Angoil is committed to helping its staff advance their careers.
For Bacci personally, the strong sense of teamwork and collaboration are what distinguish the company from the competition.
“The environment here fosters a culture of shared knowledge and mutual support in which every individual, from field operators to management, plays a vital role in achieving our goals,” he impassions.
DEEP-ROOTED SOCIAL COMMITMENTS
Ponticelli Angoil’s dedication to corporate social responsibility (CSR) stems from its parent company’s steadfast commitment to civic duty and community investment, which is deeply integrated into its business strategy.
Indeed, Ponticelli Group believes economic development is impossible without the key consideration of environmental, social, and ethical initiatives.
In light of this, CSR is at the core of its corporate strategy, ensuring that the group’s long-term operations contribute meaningfully to a better, more sustainable world.
Ponticelli Group’s devotion to environmental responsibility is exemplified by the fact that, since 2017, it has been a signatory of the UN’s Global Compact – a voluntary initiative that pursues sustainable development goals for businesses.
The group proactively communicates with the UN annually on its sustainable actions and how it hopes to continue these initiatives going forwards.
A dedicated subsidiary of the group, Ponticelli Angoil proactively engages in a number of CSR activities, spanning several key areas such as educational programmes to support local communities, vocational training, and regional job creation.
“We collaborate with local organisations to promote healthcare, social welfare, and infrastructure development, contributing to the long-term growth and well-being of the regions where we operate,” Bacci shares.
For example, the company has distributed approximately 5,000 mosquito nets to local communities since 2015.
Elsewhere, over the last seven years, Ponticelli Angoil has donated vast numbers of food products annually to the Boa Vista community in Luanda.
The company also prioritises environmental responsibility by implementing eco-friendly practices and reducing its carbon footprint.
“As the energy sector shifts towards more sustainability, Ponticelli Angoil is leading the way by integrating environmentally responsible practices into its operations. We are committed to reducing emissions, minimising waste, and embracing greener technologies,” Bacci divulges.
AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY
The Angolan oil and gas sector is set for substantial growth in the coming year, as it was projected to grow by 15 percent between 2022 and 2027 and is well on the way to achieving this target.
This progression is spurred by encouraging a sustainable market within the industry, complemented by the promotion of upstream investment.
In light of this, Ponticelli Angoil’s priorities for 2025 are centred around further growth, diversification, and operational excellence.
Indeed, one of its main priorities is the ongoing expansion of its subsea capabilities, tapping into new technologies and methodologies that have recently inundated the industry in order to enhance its service offerings.
Furthermore, to help stay abreast with industry changes and solidify its leading position in the Angolan oil and gas sector, the company hopes to pursue new contracts and reinforce its relationships with key clients such as Sonangol, TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, Azule Energy, and Chevron.
In addition to expanding its operational reach, Ponticelli Angoil is placing a strong emphasis on sustainability and innovation.
This is emphasised by the company’s plan to invest in digitalisation and green technologies to support Angola’s transition to cleaner energy sources and ensure that its services remain future-proof in an evolving energy landscape.
On top of this, Ponticelli Angoil is focused on achieving operational excellence by streamlining its internal processes and maintaining high safety and quality standards.
Its targets specifically include reducing project lead times, optimising resources, and streamlining project management to deliver better results for clients.
“Another critical priority for us is to continue improving our local content by training and upskilling Angolans at every level of our organisation. We see this as a long-term investment in both the local economy and the future of our business,” Bacci concludes.
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