Gordon Birrell, Executive Vice President for Production & Operations at global energy major bp, will speak at the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) Conference and Exhibition 2026 – taking place September 9-10 with a pre-conference day on September 8. Birrell’s participation comes as bp – through its joint venture company Azule Energy – strengthens its upstream portfolio in Angola through new offshore oil developments, non-associated gas production and regional expansion strategies aimed at reinforcing long-term production growth across Southern Africa.
As one of the country’s biggest producers, Azule Energy has been rapidly expanding its footprint across the Angolan oil and gas market. Central to this strategy is the company’s growing offshore production portfolio. In early 2026, Azule Energy – alongside partners Sonangol and Sinopec – announced the start-up of the Ndungu field, marking a milestone in the development of the broader Agogo Integrated West Hub project at Block 15/06.
The field comprises seven production wells and four injection wells, with an expected peak production of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd). This follows the achievement of first oil at the Agogo FPSO in 2025, which now produces oil from both the Agogo and Ndungu fields. The facility shipped its first cargo during AOG 2025. Further strengthening the Block 15/06 economics, Azule Energy announced an oil discovery at the Algaita-01 well in February 2026. The well builds on 22 discoveries at the block, reaffirming the effectiveness of the petroleum system in the Lower Congo Basin.
Alongside offshore oil developments, Azule Energy has taken the lead in non-associated gas development in Angola. In 2026, the New Gas Consortium (NGC) – with Azule Energy as operator – achieved first gas delivery from the Quiluma field to the onshore gas treatment plant in Soyo, signaling a vital step forward for the NGC project. The initial gas export is expected to be 150 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d), expandable to 330 mmscf/d by the end of the year.
As the country’s first non-associated gas development, the project will monetize resources from both the Quiluma and Maboqueiro fields. Gas will be treated at an onshore processing plant – inaugurated in 2025 with a capacity of 400 mmscf/d. Strategically, the NGC represents Angola’s transition toward dedicated gas production infrastructure rather than relying solely on associated gas from oil operations.
Azule Energy’s ambitions are also expanding beyond Angola. In 2026, the company announced plans to open a permanent office in Namibia, strengthening its presence in one of the world’s most closely watched frontier exploration markets. The move reflects the growing integration of Southern Africa’s offshore sector, particularly as operators seek to leverage geological similarities between Angola and Namibia’s offshore basins. Azule Energy farmed into Namibia’s Block 2914A within PEL 85 in the Orange Basin in 2024.
Birrell’s participation at the upcoming AOG conference reflects the role Angola plays in bp’s broader global energy strategy. As Azule Energy advances major offshore oil and gas projects across Angola and expands its regional footprint, his participation is expected to provide valuable insight into how one of the world’s leading energy companies is approaching deepwater growth, gas monetization and long-term upstream investment in Africa.
