[Premium] Noble to Supply EG Methanol Plant

US producer Noble Energy is to supply feed gas to Equatorial Guinea's Punta Europa hub under a contract signed May 9, the country's minister of mines and hydrocarbons Gabriel Obiang Lima told the Africa Oil and Power conference in London May 10.

He said that under the agreement Noble will supply gas from the Alen and Aseng fields for use in the long-established Atlantic Methanol plant.  The new gas would replace gas from the Alba gas and condensate field which is declining.

Separately the minister said a memorandum of understanding had been signed with French Total, but it was yet to be formally announced and he gave no details.

Anglo-Dutch major Shell signed an MoU in 2016 with Equatorial Guinea that included a pledge to develop a gas master plan. Obiang cited the Shell MoU but did not report on progress of implementation.