OEC completes construction of the Barra do Dande Ocean Terminal in Angola

The Barra do Dande Oceanic Terminal (TOBD) project in Angola was handed over this Monday (10/02) to the national oil company, Sonangol, after being completed by the Brazilian construction company Odebrecht Engenharia e Construção.

The equipment aims to optimize fuel logistics, becoming the main point for receiving, storing and distributing petroleum products to the interior of the country, in a safer and more efficient manner.

More than 4,300 direct jobs were created with a significant impact on the local economy and on the training of the Angolan workforce, since 97% of the workforce working on the project is local, with 15% of the total workforce being female. Over the course of the project, more than 354 thousand hours of professional training were carried out. One of the highlights of this effort was the qualification of workers in the company’s own welding schools, training highly qualified professionals for the construction sector.

The construction of the TOBD required innovative engineering solutions, including complex logistics for transporting 34 vessels measuring 72 meters in length and eight meters in diameter for storing LPG across the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, as well as a unique approach to its execution. The decision to manufacture the vessels in China reduced the project delivery time by six months. Transport studies were carried out, taking into account weather conditions, wave peaks along the route, alternative plans and, above all, the stability of the pressure vessels. Companies from Angola, Brazil, England and China were involved in this process.

According to the Minister of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas of Angola, Diamantino Azevedo, “the Barra do Dande Ocean Terminal is a reliable, stable and growing reservoir for Angola, which will provide a storage capacity of 582 thousand m³ of liquid and gaseous fuels, ensuring a 30-day supply autonomy for the entire country”.

According to Alex Bastos, OEC Contract Director responsible for the TOBD project, this is a delivery that reaffirms Odebrecht Engenharia e Construção’s commitment to its client Sonangol and, more broadly, to the development of the Angolan economy and infrastructure, for the benefit of its population. “Our 40 years of uninterrupted operations in the country, with so many large-scale projects delivered, such as the Barra do Dande Terminal, undeniably reflects our pride in serving this country that welcomed us and that gives us the opportunity to put into practice all the engineering expertise acquired throughout our 80-year history. We are grateful for the trust of our client, Sonangol, and our partners Dar Al-Handasah, Sonils and Tenenge in carrying out this major project.”

Project information:

• Excavation of a 55-meter-high cliff in just 115 days;

• Construction of a 1.7-kilometer breakwater, with the installation of 323 piles in a highly complex operation;

• Construction and transportation of 34 LPG bullets, each 72 meters long (the equivalent of a 25-story building), 8 meters in diameter and weighing 420 tons.