Algoa Project Services (APS) was the primary EPC Contractor responsible for the rehabilitation of a fuel receipt and distribution terminal in Porto Amboim, Angola, for Sonangol (referred to as the TOPA Project). The contract scope of work encompassed Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning. On the completion of that contract, APS provided technical support and training to Sonangol on the operation of the terminal.

The fuel storage capacity of the Porto Amboim terminal is approximately 35,000 cubic meters, with storage being provided for diesel, jet A1 aviation fuel, and two grades of petrol. The fuels are received by ships and then loaded onto Road Transport Vehicles for country wide distribution. The terminal is the first fully automated facility of its type to be constructed in Angola for Sonangol. It is recognised by Sonangol to be their most advanced, ‘flag ship’ terminal. The work complete by APS involved the demolition of the old terminal and subsequent clean-up of the contamination caused during its operation; the introduction of safe temporary fuel receipt and distribution systems, and the construction and commissioning of the new terminal. The new facilities included systems for fuel storage and containment, power generation, ship receipt, truck loading, potable water treatment, storm water drainage, oily water separation, fire fighting, network, telephone and perimeter intrusion systems, the engineering and purchasing of all equipment and materials for the new terminal; and all the associated controls. A perimeter wall and new buildings for administration, terminal control, and a canteen with changing rooms and an ablution block, were also engineered and constructed.

 During the course of the TOPA project, the Porto Amboim area increasingly became an important industrial hub. Two very large construction facilities were established in Porto Amboim to service the Angolan offshore oil industry, and due to the many redevelopment projects taking place in the city of Luanda, the resulting congestion created logistical problems at Sonangol’s Luanda terminals. As a consequence of those factors, the original functional specification of the terminal in Porto Amboim was progressively altered to provide greater capacity. During the execution period of the project, the fuel storage capacity was increased by 220%, which meant that all of the ancillary systems had to be radically changed too.

Executing a project in which there was constant change presented a sizeable additional challenge, along with those that are usually prevalent on EPC projects. To limit the impact on cost and schedule, it was imperative that the revisions needed to meet the client’s ever changing requirements, were quickly assessed and efficiently implemented.