UniversoANGOLA | OIL | BUSINESS | CULTURE ISSUE 15 AUTUMN 2007

SMELLING SWEET: The Rosa field comes on stream ■ SEEING GREEN: the oil majors prepare to invest in renewables ■ TASTING GOOD: Namibe’s winemakers raise their glass to success

ISSUE 15 AUTUMN 2007

INSIDE SONANGOL INSIDE ANGOLA On Stream Opening the taps 30 30. Border Country on a new oilfield and Home of the ancient Chokwe king- savouring the first dom, the Lunda provinces provide fruits of a new vine- an intriguing frontier land between yard could hardly be TENTS Angola and the tropical beauty of further apart – the Congo Basin except that they are both demonstrations 36. Angola’s Sparkling of Angola’s economic regeneration. Asset The technological At the mention of Angola, the first challenges involved CON 36 word to trip off many tongues is with the extraction of hydrocarbons from probably “oil” – but the diamond the Rosa field are spectacular, even when industry is now the country’s second judged against the high bar set by Angola’s biggest revenue earner 8 18 offshore operators – while at the other end of the country, a small winegrowing enter- 8. New Blooms on the Block 42. Making Music prise has opened on the banks of the Angola’s music defines the nation, Cunene River – an activity that for protec- Groundbreaking technological feats in Angola’s enshrining the fibre of its culture, its tionist reasons was not permitted in colonial deepwater hardly raise eyebrows these days, aspirations and its dreams – and that but the achievements in the Rosa and Dalia times. This initiative is especially significant music needs its own special instru- Sonangol fields on Block 17 are truly spectacular by any in showing yet another business opportunity Rua 1° Congresso do MPLA, ments N.º 8-16 standards. not related to oil, which Angolans can Caixa Postal 1316, Luanda exploit and may, one day, give the country a República de Angola presence in shops, restaurants and on tables Tel: +244 2 391 182 12. Building the Best 46. Passion for the Fax: +244 2 391 782 across the world. South Korea has dominated the world ship- Moving Image Telex: 2089 SONANG AN Thus far in Universo, we have not given [email protected] building industry for many years – and one yard As one of Angola’s first independent attention to diamonds, Angola’s second stands head and shoulders above its peers for producers, and a veteran reporter of Sonangol USA (Sonusa) major revenue earner, but in this issue, on a 1177 Enclave Parkway quality and cutting-edge technology the conflict years, Oscar Gil’s mission visit to Lunda Sul and Lunda Norte, we hope Second Floor is now the development of home- Houston, TX 77077 to add an extra sparkle to our pages, and at USA 18. Green Credentials grown TV programmes and film Tel: +1 281 920 7600 42 production the same time demystify some of the facts Fax: +1 281 920 7666 12 For oil companies to sponsor renewable energy surrounding these elusive gems. [email protected] is like turkeys voting for Christmas but, contrary Cultural life in Angola has always been Sonangol UK to popular perceptions, the supermajors are 50. Wine of the rich, with no shortage of innovative artists, Merevale House investing big money in such projects Brompton Place Country poets and musicians. The moving image on London SW3 1QE The Portuguese have a noble tradi- film and television is also presenting its chal- United Kingdom Tel: +44 207 838 4600 22. Life on the Ocean Floor tion of winemaking – but only lenges to the established media, as we learn Fax: +44 207 589 9454 The ROV has proved an invaluable tool in the recently has an enterprising group from one of the country’s seminal producers. Telex: 893212 SONANG development of Angola’s deep water – but it is chosen to develop the promise of Sonangol Asia also an invaluable aid for oceanographers Angola’s favourable climatic condi- --The Editor 3 Temasek Avenue tions in Cunene province 31-04 Centennial Tower exploring the seabed Singapore 039190 50 Tel: : +65 64 16 3583 Fax: +65 64 16 3582 26. Pulse of Expansion Sonangol Department for Communication & Image Director: João Rosa Santos Almost all of Angola’s offshore oil production Corporate Communications Assistants: Cristina de Novaes and Roberto Graça, Marta Sousa, Ana Almeida and José Mota. lies beyond the horizon of shore-based This magazine is produced for Sonangol by Impact Media Global Ltd, 53 Chandos Place, London WC2N 4HS, UK, Tel: +44 20 7812 6400~ Fax: +44 20 7812 6413 observers, but in Luanda the Sonils base offers Publisher: Sheila O’Callaghan; Group President: John Charles Gasser; Project Consultant: Nathalie MacCarthy Editor: Peter Moeller; Sub-editor: Ron Gribble; Art Director: Lisa Pampillonia; Advertising Design: Bernd Wojtczack; Circulation Manager: Matthew Alexander dramatic evidence of its recent expansion Contributors: Nina Asz, , Jaime Azulay, Lucy Corkin, Cathy Hamlin, Bruce McMichael, André Mukuaxi, Rolf Werndle; Cover Photo: Roy Ooms/Masterfile All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical without prior permission in writing from the publishers. 22 [email protected]

4 SONANGOL UNIVERSO NEWS IN BRIEF

Dockwise, the European- based specialist offshore heavy-lift shipping company Roc On Saxi Pipeline has raised its sunken vessel Roc Oil has achieved a positive Belmet, the South African marine Mighty Servant 3 from waters off Luanda. The vessel went result at its Massambala-1 explo- engineering group, has been select- down in 53 metres of water in ration well in its Cabinda South ed by the UK-based contracting December after safely unload- block. This first exploratory well group Subsea 7 to supply special- ing the drilling platform has been spudded after the com- ist pipeline equipment for Aleutian Key. pletion of a two-year detailed seismic ExxonMobil’s Saxi-Batuque project. survey in the area, and the Australian Saxi-Batuque is part of the $3.5bn Sonangol has been asked company reports good shows over a Kizomba C development in Block 15 and by officials at the port of Cabinda in northern Angola to gross interval of 39m with log will be served by an FPSO, similar to the help dredge the harbour after responses showing moveable nearby Mondo field. Installation will take a major influx of silt believed hydrocarbons over a 20m gross place over an eight-month period during to have washed down from interval within the zone. 2007. The FPSOs are planned for installa- the River Congo. Access Roc has a 60 per cent oper- tion, one on Mondo and one on restrictions in Cabinda port ating stake in the block, which Saxi/Batuque, with first oil set to come on mean that larger ocean lies in the Lower Congo basin. Its stream in early 2008. Peak production is going vessels cannot berth. partners are Force Petroleum and estimated at 200,000 barrels per day. Vaalco, the US junior, Sonangol, each with a 20 per cent could begin exploration share. Based on new geological data, the company estimates the block holds as much as 1.4 bil- drilling campaigns late this lion barrels of oil. Five prospects have been identified for drilling in addition to Massambala: Soja, year on their recently awarded Cevada, Milho and Trigo – and a sixth is subject to 3D seismic to be shot this year. shallow-water blocks offshore Roc boss John Doran says: “because we are at the beginning of a big drilling campaign, it is Dynamic Start Angola. Vaalco is spending essential that we try to nail the exact nature of the shallow oil zone at Massambala-1 as soon as Dynamic Industries of Louisiana is to build a small fabrication base near Luanda to support its $5.1m on a 3D seismic survey possible because if it proves to be producible, the upside potential is well worth chasing.” offshore platform hook-up and commissioning activity. The base will be built by the successful local over 1,000sq.km in Block 5. Angolan company created by Dynamic and Petroservices Offshore Logistics, an international materi- Previous exploration work by als, logistics and shore base support company. Sonangol indicates that the Dynamic’s senior vice-president Roger Westerlind says: “Angola is an extremely important and block contains at least 50m Calm Solution Brazil Bid rapidly growing market. We believe Dynamic should continue to create the highest level of pres- proven barrels of oil. Twelve Sonangol has awarded Somoil, the privately owned Angolan oil company, is ence possible, to serve the needs of the upstream and downstream client base.” ILLUSTRATIONS: GREG GRIGORIOU exploration wells have been Dutch group SBM Offshore the taking its exploration expertise to Brazil, having successfully Previously, offshore engineering giant Global Industries installed two platforms and completed – five containing contract to supply a Calm bid for an international tender to gain a 50 per cent stake associated pipelines for Dynamic Industries, on behalf of Cabinda Gulf Oil Company traces of oil. (Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring) in block BT-REC-18 in the Reconcavo Basin in the north (CABGOC), at the Banzala Lago Project. Sonangol plans to merge system for the Palanca field off- eastern state of Bahia. its crude oil and fuel shipping shore Angola. Typically, Calm Block operator will be Brazil’s Starfish Oil & Gas, which companies into a single sub- buoys are used in benign, deep also has a 50 per cent stake. Somoil has been seeking to sidiary company by 2008. waters and are one of the most enter the Brazilian market for more than two years, and Sonaship Ltd, set up in 1999, is efficient and economical solu- already works with Starfish on projects in Angola’s Block 3 currently responsible for ship- tions for mooring and loading and on geological surveys of ping fuels from the Luanda tankers. Palanca crude oil is pro- the Kwanza basin. refinery while Sonangol LNG to Go duced in Angola with oils Angola LNG is expected to start exporting the first natural gas products to the Shipping, registered in the United States, focuses on sourced from five different con- United States in 2010 and 2011, says Sonangol vice president Syanga Abílio. LNG worldwide crude oil shipments. cessions. It is loaded from the tankers will offload the gas at a specially built facility at Pascagoula, in the Gulf of Total-operated Palanca Terminal Mexico. Sonangol and BP which can accommodate The US will receive approximately 28.3 million cu.m per year of associated gas recently announced 14 com- very large crude carrier from offshore oil fields and produce 5 million tonnes per year of LNG and mercial discoveries in the (VLCC) loadings. The related gas liquids products, as well as supply up to 3.5m cu.m per day for ultra-deepwater Block 31. The typical cargo size is Angola’s domestic gas needs. The project will also reduce gas flaring in latest two discoveries have been named Miranda and 985,000 barrels. The Angola. Angola LNG has awarded two important contracts at the Cordelia respectively. Both fields pump around export site in Soyo. wells were drilled by the Jack 140,000 barrels per A joint venture of Boskalis International and Jan de Nul Dredging Ryan drillship, owned by US- day from the various has won the site preparation contract, while engineering and procure- drilling giant GlobalSantaFe. contributors. ment will be undertaken by US-based engineering company Bechtel.

6 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 7 EXPLORATION New Blooms on the Block Groundbreaking technological feats in Angola’s deepwater hardly raise eyebrows these days, but the achievements in the Rosa and Dalia fields in Block 17 are spectacular by any standards.

Technical and engineering innovation, a major local content contribution and a carefully planned but high-risk operational strategy have combined to deliver success for Total in bringing on stream the Dalia and Rosa fields. TBlock 17, which hosts 15 discoveries, lies 135km off the Angolan coast in water depths ranging from 1200m – 1500m. The block comprises four major areas which, as part of Total tra- dition in Angola, are named after flowers: Girassol (including Rosa and Jasmim) and Dalia – both in production – and Pazflor and CLOV. Future production from the latter fields will come on top of the more than 500,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) that will be pumped from Girassol, Rosa and Dalia. Its success in overcoming the complex challenges of bringing the heavy and viscous oil from water depths of 1,400m have established the French oil major’s reputation on a global scale. Dalia came on stream with its own floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) – one of the world’s largest – in December 2006 and six months later, in June 2007 Rosa, which is tied back to the Girassol FPSO followed suit. The Rosa field is just 15km from the Girassol FPSO. It is the first deep-water field of this size to be tied back to a remote installation in such water depths and will maintain the FPSO’s production plateau at 250,000bpd until early in the next decade.

8 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 9 duction bundles (IPB) are 1,650m long, weigh and it was here that the final assembly of man- 800 tonnes, and have built-in heating and lift- ifolds together with the fabrication of their ing capabilities to ensure the oil remains at the foundation structures and the well production “Dalia is a right temperature on the way up – all of which guide bases was undertaken. new global are monitored by a built-in fibre-optic system. At the other end of the country, in Soyo, at The Dalia FPSO was built by the consor- the mouth of the River Congo the Petromar technological tium Dalia Mar Profundo, formed by TSS yard assembled to the flowlines, manifolds, (Technip, Stolt, Saipem), Samsung Heavy pipe spools and other key structures. benchmark, a Industries & Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine In close association with these projects, an Engineering in their yards of Geoje Island, milestone in extensive programme for the training of South Korea. Angolans was put in place to create a core of the history of This mini oil treatment facility is 300m engineers and technicians. In addition, some long by 60m wide and 32m tall. It is secured in deepwater oil position by huge suction anchors and is capa- 50 Angolan engineers were trained in France ble of treating 240,000bpd. The 56,000 tonne and in Angola for their future roles in Dalia development.” hull has a storage capacity of 2 million barrels operation. Christophe de Margerie, of crude oil which is transferred to tankers of Every care has been taken to ensure the Total chairman and up to 330,000 tonnes at the rate of 40,000 bar- minimum impact to the environment. A com- chief executive rels per hour. plete study of the local ecosystems of the Up to 190 people can be accommodated operations was made, above and below the sea on board the floating city, which has recre- level, which included the innovative Biozaire ational areas including a gymnasium, TV programme, developed by Total and the rooms, library and other leisure amenities – French Maritime Research Institute, Ifremer. though only 120 staff are required for normal This initiative was put in hand before any PREPARING: Rosa, with 25 wells, including 11 for water from the seabed to the surface. operational conditions. engineering plans were made, and by studying FPSO Dalia earlier this year with injection and 14 producers, is connected to When first oil flowed in December 2006, An important feature of the Block 17 Rosa the different ecosystems in the deeps of the and Dalia project has been the focus on local the Drillship Pride Africa the Girassol FPSO by 64 km of insulated pipe- just three years after the principal contracts Gulf of Guinea, it was possible to provide valu- background content – the amount of fabrication and in-pipe production flowlines required some were signed, the Dalia development was no able inputs to the Dalia concept and to create assembly carried out within Angola by 5,600 tonnes of special modules and equip- less remarkable. “Dalia is a new global techno- a monitoring system capable of measuring Angolan technicians. As part if its strategy, ment which were transported to the site, logical benchmark, a milestone in the history possible impacts within the site perimeter. 200km north west of Luanda, and installed of deepwater oil development,” said Total Total E&P Angola, working with its Block 17 partners and Sonangol, implemented a major Another feature of the Dalia project which aboard the FPSO with minimal interruption to chairman and chief executive Christophe de will bring major environmental benefits is that normal production from the already produc- Margerie at the inauguration of the field. plan to create and redevelop industrial activi- associated gas is re-injected into the reservoirs ing Girassol and Jasmim fields. With proven and probable reserves esti- ties within the country for the Dalia contracts, for later export to the Angola LNG plant at This intricate project was carried out under mated at close to 1 billion barrels, the at the same time undertaking the training of Soyo – thus eliminating gas flaring, a major rigorous and complex safety procedures – a high-tech development includes features such Angolan workers and technology transfer. source of greenhouse gas emissions. Produced huge task which required around 400 techni- as drill-through Christmas trees and an umbil- Accordingly, new industrial yards, in differ- cians who were permanently working on the ical network of several kilometres which was ent Angolan provinces, have contributed to water from the Girassol, Jasmim and Rosa FPSO for more than two years, lodged in a spe- designed and constructed specially for the the Dalia construction programme and are fields is also reinjected to the reservoirs, end- cial “flotel”, docked alongside it. project, connecting wells at a water depth of now better prepared to land other internation- ing discharges to the sea. One of the many challenges to be 1,400m, to the huge FPSO, thereby creating al oil industry contracts. In the wake of the successful start-ups of addressed was the problem of the distance one of the biggest and most complex subsea In September 2005, the Aker Kvaerner unit Girassol, Jasmim, Rosa, and Dalia, there is still from the field to the Girassol FPSO, with an production systems (SPS) in the world. was inaugurated in the Sonils Base, Luanda to much for Total and its partners to look forward additional complication being that the tem- This SPS, constructed by Aker Kvaerner, undertake projects for Dalia and to receive, to on Block17, with a third development zone, perature on the ocean floor is around 4ºC. includes no less than 71 wells: 37 producers, prepare, test and repair SPS structures. Just Pazflor. Paz is Portuguese for peace, and these 50km north of Luanda, at Dande, a spoolbase For the 30º API (American Petroleum 31 for water injection and three for gas injec- discoveries were made from 2000 to 2003, was built by a Technip and Sonangol joint ven- Institute standard) product to flow without tion, linked to nine manifolds by insulated when peace was achieved in Angola. ture to fabricate production and injection forming plugs or hydrates, its temperature flowlines to provide the right temperature to The Pazflor conceptual studies are current- flowlines for the undersea pipeline network. BLOCK 17 must be maintained above 20°C, so an entirely bring Dalia’s 21 – 23° API oil to the surface ly under way, with the idea that another FPSO new, so-called “pipe-in-pipe” technology was without forming the hydrates that can perma- The Angoflex base operated by Technip Total (operator) 40 % will be built for this third Block 17 develop- developed. This involves fitting the flowline nently destroy the sub sea installations. was inaugurated in Lobito, 400km south of Esso 20 % ment area – and yet a fourth development within an outer jacket which is filled with insu- The Dalia project comprises eight flexible Luanda, in February 2004, to fabricate around BP 16.67 % area, CLOV (standing for Cravo, Lírio, Orquidea lating material. Another Rosa innovation is the production risers to convey the oil to the FPSO 36 km of water injection umbilicals and 14 km Statoil 13.33 % and Violeta), located to the north west of Block riser tower adjacent to the FPSO which brings – an innovation from Girassol, which deploys of static production umbilicals. Norsk Hydro 10 % the production flowlines more than 1,200m rigid steel tower risers. These integrated pro- Also in Lobito, Sonamet built the offload- 17, was confirmed with the discovery of the Sonangol is concessionaire ing buoy and the FPSO suction anchor piles, well Orquidea-2 in October 2006. ❖

10 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 11 INDUSTRY

South Korea has dominated the world shipbuilding industry for many years – and one yard stands head building and shoulders above its peers for uncompromising quality and the cutting-edge technology Best Thirty five years ago, Okpo on the holiday island of Geoje, South Korea, was a featureless coastal plain enclosed by mountains which pro- tected it from the weather. Today, it is the home of the giant DSME (Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine TEngineering) shipyard, one the world’s most suc- cessful shipbuilders. In the early 1970s, the Korean economy had grown by 9 per cent and the government was look- ing to expand its heavy industries, particularly in the shipbuilding sector where there was a global shortage of large bulk and crude oil carriers. Okpo Bay was seen to be the ideal location for the proposed 1 million-tonne class yard and, after raising almost $103 billion, the historic ground- breaking ceremony by the Korea Shipbuilding and Engineering Company (KSEC) took place on October 11, 1973. Transforming the area into a world-class ship- yard was a herculean task that would take eight years. The water depth in the sheltered bay, which faced the open sea, was no more than 15 metres and the tide fall 1 metre. Preparation work would involve the relocation of a river and the removal of a small mountain. But by April 1981 the core No 1 Dock was completed. The story of the Okpo shipyard has since been a turbulent one that has tracked the ups and downs of Korea’s economy as well as the fortunes of the oil industry and world shipbuilding trends. Its steady development saw the original KSEC swallowed up by the Daewoo conglomerate in In line with its success, DSME is planning Very large crude carriers (VLCCs), LNG car- Thanks to its expertise in 1978 before breaking away in 2000 to become to expand production facilities at No.2 dock, riers, bulk carriers and containerships are Angola building LNG carriers, DSME has DSME and radically restructure itself to create including extending the dock by 190 metres DSME’s core product, having seen more than Connection strength and stability. and doubling the capacity of a gantry crane to 500 of these giants sail away since the yard was become one of the leaders in This proved to be a winning formula and 900 tonnes. established. But that is only part of the story. this year the shipbuilder achieved its annual Earlier in the year, the shipbuilder received The ability and imagination of its designers The recently completed the industry, building low-cost, order target of $11 billion in just six months. In a quality award from the Korean Ministry of and engineers to handle big concepts led to 159,000dwt Sonangol Namibe June, it acquired orders from European owners Commerce and Industry when three vessels the development of expertise in offshore struc- at DSME further strengthens fuel-efficient vessels for 13 containerships worth almost $1.8 billion. were recognised as world-best products of tures of all types, such as the massive FPSOs the bond between Angola The vessels are scheduled to be delivered by their type. and drillships offshore Angola as well as those and Korea as the vessel joins March 2011. DSME has developed into the premier spe- that operate in the hostile northern waters. Sonangol Shipping’s five- These new bookings bring the DSME total cialised shipbuilding and offshore contractor, Thanks to its expertise in building LNG car- strong fleet of Suexmax for the year to 84 vessels and other offshore building a whole range of vessels, offshore riers, DSME has become one of the leaders in crude carriers, all built at projects, prompting the company to raise its platforms, drilling rigs, floating oil production the industry, building low-cost, fuel-efficient Okpo. Last year, Chevron 2007 target to $17 billion, up by 55 per cent on units and military craft. vessels, with a proven reliability of their GTT announced an order for a last year. The shipbuilder employs about 1,500 design membrane containment system which operate $1.27-billion drilling and pro- In particular, DSME has shown strength in and R&D personnel, and more than 25,000 at the highest speeds among ships of the same duction platform for the containerships and has so far this year man- skilled workers (including subcontractors) to class. development of the Tombua- aged to attract 50 orders worth approximately build vessels with outfitting that allows easy The company has also achieved a reputa- Landana field, while $6 billion, nearly 55 per cent of the total orders maintenance and repairs, while fully complying tion for building specialist vessels such as deepwater giant Transocean received for 2007. with international standards including IMO. passenger, ro-ro, chemical carriers and naval recently gave the green light for a newbuild drillship from DSME to work its $900 mil- lion contract with BP Angola. In the last six years, seven energy-related structures and vessels have sailed from the yard for Angolan waters.

May 2001 North Nemba production platform (Chevron) December 2002 Kizomba A Extended Tension Leg Platform (Esso) November 2003 Sanha Condensate fixed platforms (Chevron) March 2005 Kizomba B Extended Tension Leg Platform (Esso)

October 2005 Beguela Belize Compliant Piled Tower Platform (Chevron)

March 2006 PHOTOS: PMP GLOBAL Dalia FPSO (Total)

Groundbreaking cere- Deawoo Shipbuilding First chemical carrier Okpo Shipyard Construction of Dock II Ship and Marine Completion of first First profitable year ISO 9001 certification Ranked world No 1 for 1991 1985 1992 1984 1993 1973 1981 1978 1979 mony for the KSEC and Heavy Machinery Co built completed 1983 completed Technology Research 300,000dwt VLCC acquired orders and first Korean Shipyard, Okpo acquires Okpo Shipyard Institute established submarine completed

14 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 15 vessels, including destroyers, research vessels, which must marry precisely with their coun- “Even in Europe and the United offshore patrol boats – and its own design terpart. The bridge and superstructure is built 1,200 tonne submarine. It boasts a worldwide as a complete module before being lifted into States, owning a DSME-built client list which includes most of the leading place on the hull. vessel is at the top of every shipowners. State-of-the-art design, research and devel- The Okpo yard, located adjacent to the opment, and welding technology ensure shipowner’s wish list.” Straits of Korea, an international sea route vessels of exceptional quality that come with a connecting the Middle East, South East Asia, Nam Sang-Tae, 25-year hull guarantee. president and chief executive DSME Japan and the United States, has some of the “The owners of ships built by DSME (left) world’s finest production facilities in the shape express their satisfaction by saying that the of the largest docks, cranes and 38 automated quality is not matched by any other ship- plant facilities. builder,” says DSME president & CEO Nam Innovation is at the heart of the DSME sys- tem. Each section of a vessel is built in Sang-Tae. “Even in Europe and the United prefabricated blocks in specialist areas of the States, owning a DSME-built vessel is at the sprawling yard– as many as 85 individual top of every shipowner’s wish list.” blocks in some cases – and then assembled in So Sonangol Shipping can rest assured that dry dock like a giant Lego. Each block comes its five crude carriers plying world routes are ❖ complete with pipework and other fittings, members of a thoroughbred family. DSME Factfile

Total area of the Okpo shipyard 442 hectares Number of employees, including contractors 26,000 Value of orders in 2006 $5 billion Orders target for 2007* $17 billion Total advance orders (approx three years work) $28.5 billion

To be completed in 2007 42 commercial vessels 4 offshore structures 2 onshore plants 2 destroyers I submarine (overhaul)

Okpo vessels completed since established** 255 crude carriers 144 bulk carriers 118 containerships 44 ro-ro vessels 38 LNG carriers 12 LPG carriers 7 ferries

DSME has International locations in Angola, Canada, Greece, Japan, Norway, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States. Korea has the world’s largest shipbuilding industry with a 40 per cent market share. DSME is the world’s second largest shipyard, and the second biggest in Korea. An icon of the Okpo yard is the massive Goliath gantry crane – the world’s biggest – which serves the world’s largest dry dock. Commissioned PHOTOS: PMP GLOBAL in January 1980 at a cost of approximately $13 million, 6,000 tonnes of spe- cial steel were used. It has a span of 205 metres and can lift 900 tonnes.

* Originally set at $11 million, but revised upwards in June 2007. ** As at July 1, 2007

Merger with Daewoo Accreditation to ISO First destroyer completed Presidential Award for Debt equity swap to spin- World No 1 for LNG Nominated World’s Delivery of the world’s Record of $11 billion Grand Prize at the 2007 Heavy Industries 14001 (environmental and first passenger ferry Precision Technology off Daewoo Shipbuilding carrier orders Best Shipbuilder by first LNG-RV (regasifica- orders achieved Labor-Management 1994 1997 1998 1999 2001 2003 2000 2005 2006 management) delivered received Lloyds List tion vessel) 2007 Cooperation Awards

16 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 17 ENVIRONMENT

Green initiative For oil companies to “Exactly 0% of passenger jets can be fuelled by wind, solar or nuclear energy,” says the hard-hit- sponsor renewable ting Chevron advertisement on display at many of energy is like turkeys Ethe world’s major airports. voting for Christmas Intriguingly, in the same poster, the oil compa- ny poses the question to the millions of passing but, contrary to passengers: “So what’s the answer?” and encour- popular perceptions, ages them to get involved via its willyoujoinus.com the supermajors are website. Already, it is clear that energy will be one of the investing big money defining issues of this century and the Chevron in such projects website is an example of how the industry is trying to engage the public in addressing the challenges presented by climate change. So how does the supermajor expect to be able to engage the world? “We believe that innovation, collaboration and conservation are the cornerstones on which to build this new world, but we can’t do it alone,” says a Chevron spokesman. “Corporations, govern- ments and every citizen of this planet must be part of the solution as surely as they are part of the problem.” When UK-based BP rebranded itself within a yellow and green, flower-like Helios logo and talked of “beyond petroleum”, it appears that one of the world’s biggest energy companies is hoping to alter the balance of its investment by increasing spend- ing on alternative and renewable fuel sources. As Tony Hayward, the newly-appointed chief executive of BP, says: “Fears about climate change and its consequences are in my view both well-

AUTUMN 2007 19 BRIAN STAUFFER ConocoPhillips, for example, is investing Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil’s peer group Despite spending close to $100 million on $22.5 million to fund an eight-year programme rival, has long invested in alternative energy renewable energy technology, French oil major “Fears about at Iowa State University in the United States sources and has spent around $1.25 billion Total is not yet fully engaged in the sector. To climate change dedicated to researching and producing bio- since 1999 on developing technologies, includ- date, most of its interest has focused on wind renewable fuels. The grant is part of the ing $150 million on hydrogen energy research. power through a five-turbine wind farm near and its company’s policy to create joint research pro- The supermajor says it has invested $1 bil- its Les Flandres refinery complex in northern grammes with major universities to produce lion in renewables (excluding biodiesel) and France. Costing around $20 million, the farm consequences solutions to diversify America’s energy sources. hydrogen activities in the past five years. The has an installed capacity of 12 megawatts per “We believe the key to a secure energy group maintains a high-profile presence in the year. More plants are planned, says the compa- are in my view future is the efficient and effective use of a sector including a 350 megawatt wind-power ny, with France as the focal point. both well- diverse mix of energy sources,” says Jim Mulva, business that ranks among the world’s top 20 Total has also promised to spend more chief executive of ConocoPhillips. “We are similar projects, and is now expanding steadily, than $340 million on research and wind and founded and are developing long-term relationships with particularly in the UK, the Netherlands and the solar-power projects between 2005 and 2010, respected academic institutions such as Iowa US. but reports suggest that little of this invest- contributing to State to research extensions of traditional Smaller funds are being spent on geother- ment has been made to date. energy sources that ultimately will benefit mal energy concepts that work by pumping Thus, money is being spent by the super- perhaps the consumers.” water into hot rocks deep underground, there- majors on renewables, with companies fastest growing Meanwhile, Chevron has partnered with by creating steam to drive turbines. generally investing to keep up with the public’s the University of California to develop trans- While ExxonMobil, and to a lesser extent growing concern about climate change. international portation fuels from renewable resources such Shell, have limited investments in solar power, However, with the real technological break- as new energy crops, forest and agricultural BP is a leading supporter of the technology throughs still some years away, oil and gas will political residues, and municipal solid waste. The com- and has operated the world’s largest solar- continue to provide the energy that keeps the pany is also working with the US Department panel manufacturing businesses since 1980, world flying for the short to medium term – as movements.” of Energy’s National Renewable Energy investing around $500 million between 1999 well as serving the myriad needs to keep Tony Hayward, chief executive BP Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, to develop and 2005. industry and domestic life on the move. ❖ renewable transportation fuels. Chevron is one of the sector’s highest spenders on renewable and alternative energy been left relatively undisturbed in recently become a shareholder of the projects and energy efficiency schemes and many parts of the country. Portuguese energy company and its arguably, through its 1,152 megawatt However, severe local deforestation chairman, Manuel Vicente, a Galp non- Indonesian geothermal power projects, is the has occurred near most large cities in executive director. sector’s largest producer of renewable power recent years, extending in some areas Galp and Sonangol are already among the big oil companies. up to a 200 to 300km radius around working together on fuel distribution Despite being the world’s largest non-gov- Luanda. Such zones are growing, in across Angola and plan to cultivate founded and are contributing to perhaps the ernment-controlled oil company by market turn raising the transport costs of char- around 200,000 hectares of agricultural fastest growing international political move- value, ExxonMobil does not currently believe coal, which make up a large part of its land to grow energy crops such as palm ments.” renewables are commercially viable on a sig- price to the consumer. oil. In the meantime, while the super- Renewable sources of energy (biomass, nificant scale without government incentives – Meanwhile, the Angolan- majors are busy with advanced solar, wind, hydro and geothermal) are self- a policy that it opposes. Although the compa- Portuguese group Afriagro plans to sustainable energy technologies that replenishing and clean, and currently make an initial investment of $46.6 ny sold its solar-power business in the 1980s may one day reach the market, signifi- contribute around 15 to 20 per cent of the million in a biodiesel plant that will use and now has no direct investments in renew- cant practical steps are being taken in locally sourced African palm oil. world’s energy supply. able energy, it has committed $100 million Angola. Construction of the plant is expected Solar power is expanding as technology over ten years to the Global Climate and It is one of the countries that could to begin in 2008. improves and its cost becomes more competi- Energy Project based at Stanford University, make Africa the world’s largest produc- The project is to be located near tive. Commercial wind turbines are now which seeks to make lower carbon energy er of sustainable biofuels in the future. the Atlantic town of Ambriz, in Bengo harnessing energy in more than 65 countries, technologies including solar energy more eco- A rough estimate shows that its export province. It will consist of a new 5,000- making wind power the world’s fastest growing nomic. potential in 2050 is around six exa- hectare palm plantation of high-yield source of energy after solar power, and geo- ExxonMobil is watching developments joules per year – the equivalent of 2.7 hybrids that start producing har- thermal energy – heat from the earth – is closely and could well invest in the sector million barrels of oil per day – after the Sonangol leads the way rapidly rising food, fuel, fodder and vestable oil-rich fruit after three years. meeting a significant portion of electrical should significant technological break- fibre needs of its growing population From the fourth year they are mature power demand in many developing countries. throughs make wind, solar or biofuels more Around 80 per cent of Angolans have been met. This is without defor- and continue to yield for a further 20 In line with these trends, the oil companies competitive with oil and gas. Privately, compa- rely on biomass for their daily energy estation or the use of land protected years. are pumping time and money into alternative ny executives are said to be sceptical about needs, mostly in the form of firewood for conservation. Portugal’s Atlântica group holds a energy development, some by investing in their rivals’ commitment to renewables, and or charcoal. The country’s biomass One home-grown concept is a bio- 45 per cent stake in Afriagro, with the high-tech research, others preferring to focus also consider that their environmental creden- stocks are significant and, due in part fuels project being developed by remainder divided between Angolan on improving their hydrocarbon prospects. tials are exaggerated. to the long-running civil war, have Sonangol and Galp Energia. Sonangol firms Nzogi Yetu, Coroa Gest and Lion.

20 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 21 NATURE life on the cean Floor O The ROV has proved an invaluable tool in the development of Angola’s deep water – but it is also a unique aid for oceanographers exploring the seabed

What do the murderous crab, lizard- fish, giant tripod crab and chaz fish have in common? They are all names of the Wdeep-water creatures that scientists have found while cruising the ocean floor with remotely operated vehicles (ROV) which are essential tools of Angola’s offshore oil industry. “The great thing is that in deepsea science very few common names exist so you can make things up, based on what they look like,” says Ian Hudson, advisory chairman of the Scientific and Environmental ROV Partnership using Existing Industrial Technology (Serpent) project hosted at the UK’s National Oceanography Centre. “The chaz fish was named after a BP rig worker called Charlie because every- one thought it looked like him,” he says, laughing. The aim of the Serpent project is to bring together the oil and gas industry with science in order to discover more NEFT PESBLAETR ALAMY INTERFOTO PRESSEBILDAGENTUR/ about the mysteries of the oceans and the creatures that live there. It tries to make cutting-edge ROV technology and data from the industry more accessible to the world’s science community and uses

AUTUMN 2007 23 ROVs during their standby periods to explore porate environmental advisor for global in a jar, then it is difficult to officially name it.” Hudson, but how they spend their time. “Angola is a deep waters. drilling contractor Transocean. “Our aim is to The process of obtaining data, observa- “This behaviour has absolutely never been diverse place: a Hudson’s enthusiasm is infectious, as he get to know the other 95 per cent with the help tions and samples from several thousand seen before,” he says. “When you take just one animatedly goes through slides of all sorts of of the oil and gas industry.” metres below sea level is anything but easy. photo, you don’t really get what is going on. combination of weird-looking creatures. The Serpent project started four years ago While ROVs are invaluable in terms of gather- But you can tell a lot more if you take a series “For example, you would never know this in Scotland. Since then it has carried out ing information, they are designed to serve over a period of time.” oceanographic coral existed unless you had the opportunity research around the world including in the the oil and gas industry and are often not However, there is a lot more to the Serpent to look this deep down,” he says, flicking Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, India, Norway, ideal for research purposes. project than researching what goes on in the and geological through photos of giant whales, colourful Australia and Brazil. “The ROV is a priceless tool which allows depths of the ocean, with education a core factors make it anemones and a host of strange-looking fish In Angola, research is still in its early days much closer observation of deep-water element of the project. living in environments as deep as 3,000 marine life. But as something the size of a car Its website, www.serpentproject.com, has a hotspot.” metres. “These are examples of the kinds of with a joystick, it is not perfect for our needs,” several pages dedicated to informing students creatures you get in the deep seas. They grow says Hudson. and teachers alike about its activities and Dr Ian Hudson, big and large and live a really long time.” Despite the technical challenges of doing findings, and Hudson gives regular talks and Advisory Chairman, It is little known that only 5 per cent of the this kind of cutting-edge deep-water research, lectures around the world to people working The Scientific and Environmental ROV Partnership world’s deep waters (below 1,000 metres) have the project has been able to gather new infor- in the oil and gas industry. (below) been explored by man, which is even less than mation about marine life. Hudson plays His hope is that the more we know about what is known of the Moon’s surface, Hudson recently shot video footage of photos taken deep-sea life, the better man will look after it. points out. He believes it is high time scientists every two minutes by an ROV over a 24-hour “My primary task is educational,” he says. “If were able to get closer to marine nature to dis- period. It reveals a group of crabs burying a you understand what’s there, you can make cover more of its secrets. dead fish and then fighting over it for hours. It sure what you do has a limited impact on “The ocean floor is a biodiversity hotspot is not just the existence of so many new what is living there. You are more likely to pro- which harbours new species and habitats, and species that has amazed scientists such as tect it.” ❖ the oil and gas industry are operating in some of these areas,” says Hudson, who is also cor-

but Hudson is eager to get things moving. On a recent trip, he met with senior oil industry and science officials in Luanda to try and generate support, which he found very forthcoming. Plans are already afoot for researchers from the project team in Southampton, England, to visit Angola for several expeditions this year. Hudson says rigs operating in offshore Angola have regular visitors including sea tur- tles, dolphins, manta rays and sharks, but he believes the country’s deep waters hold even more secrets. “Angola is a diverse place. A combination of oceanographic and geological factors make it a hotspot,” he explains. “The sea floor is almost like a mountain range which provides diverse places for species to live. I think our research is likely to yield a lot of exciting finds here.” There is good reason to believe him. The Serpent project, which is entirely funded by its partners in the oil and gas industry, has already discovered unknown marine life forms CONFRONTATION: Deepsea crabs fight over a in other parts of the globe. dead fish they have buried “We’ve found more than a handful of new species – some six to ten – that had never been CURIOUS: seen before, in addition to many more that we A chimaera phantasma circles haven’t collected and so could not identify,” a bait cage at 500m depth says Hudson. “Unless a sample exists and it is EMORY KRISTOF/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC IMAGES

24 SONANGOL UNIVERSO SERVICE

Almost all of Angola’s offshore oil production lies Pulse of beyond the horizon of shore-based observers, but in Luanda the Expansion Sonils base offers dramatic When it opened for operations in oil and gas companies, at the same time evidence of its September 1995, Sonangol Integrated Logistics increasing local content and skills transfer,” Services (Sonils) occupied just 30,000sq.m of says Burnett. “This will in turn provide a posi- base to more than 13km, and are much wel- recent Wopen storage and stacking area and 72m of tive contribution for the county.” comed for the efficient discharge of surface expansion quayside to the north of Luanda’s main port. Another innovation which will have a water, as well as mitigating the problems of The concept of this facility was to provide major impact is the installation of quayside mosquito breeding at certain times of the year. the full spectrum of backup for the offshore oil fuelling facilities. This will enable vessels to But even when the current phase is com- and gas industry within a secure environment, take on bunkers direct from the nearby plete, Sonils has its eyes on a more distant goal. supported by high-quality infrastructure, utili- Sonangol storage tanks a short distance from There is a project to double the base’s power ties and other services. the port, while discharging cargo. supply to 12.5 megawatts – and there is the The project proved an instant success with “This will result in shorter turnround times quest to reclaim yet more land from the har- the oil exploration companies and technical by saving the vessel the need to move offshore bour to feed the voracious appetite of clients. service industries, in that it provided a reliable to refill its fuel tanks,” says Burnett. Already the base is the workplace for some base from which to service offshore opera- Another improvement is the construction 7,000 people, and another important new tions. So much so that, just 12 years later, of new drainage channels – some of which are facility is a state-of-the-art first aid station Sonils now comprises some 1,200,000sq.m of large enough to take a 4x4 vehicle. They bring which, in addition to treating emergencies, storage space and, by the end of 2007 will have the total length of roads and drains on the boasts malaria testing facilities. ❖ a total of almost 1.3kms of quayside . “Such is the current pace of growth that all the additional space created on land reclaimed New Developments from the harbour is already committed to There have been some important Total E&P Angola Socotherm coating plants Sevenseas Angola clients,” says Andrew Burnett, Sonils’ market- newcomers to Sonils, joining the broad Total, another long-time Sonils resi- Sevenseas Angola will support its ing and commercial manager. “It has been this The two Socotherm installations mix of technical, engineering and spe- dent, recently took on an extra comprise the first pipe-coating plants in spooling and pipe-laying work for the way from the beginning: a continual drive to cialist service providers who will service 16,216sq.m for pipe storage, an inspec- Saxi–Batuque and Tombua–Landana keep pace with industry demand.” Angola. The the offshore oilfield developments in the tion area and a modern automated polypropylene/polyurethane facility sup- projects from its Sonils spoolbase. To These days, Sonils offers much more than months to come. pipe-cleaning system, as well as a stor- plies coated pipes for Sevenseas support these projects, it is to enhance the basic land area and access to the quayside. age facility for drums of chemicals. Angola’s contract with the Esso its existing 70,000sq.m of facilities with As part of the recent multi-million dollar BP Exploration Angola Saxi–Batuque field, to be followed by a additional welding plant and joint-coat- investment programme, there will be a heavy- BP has been operating from the Sonangol Laboratórios second commitment to Chevron’s ing machinery, as well as an increased lift dock with two 500-tonne cranes offering a Sonils base since 1998 and in May The project under construction for Tombua–Landana project. The level of operational equipment. total lift capacity of 1,000 tonnes, and when opened a 45,000sq.m logistics centre to Sonangol Laboratórios provides for a 62,500sq.m plant for concrete pipe-coat- the development is complete there will also be support its offshore operations on blocks 4,000sq.m laboratory on two levels, ing includes a containerised factory and Nalco Angola a 7,000sq.m fabrication workshop with inter- 18 and 31, bringing its total area at the incorporating state-of-the-art equip- will service a project for Chevron in Sonils is developing a new chemical- nal lift capability of 200 tonnes. Other plant site to more than 82,000sq.m. In addition ment to service the oil and gas industry, Malongo. storage and processing facility and offices includes self-propelled modular transporters to the striking 1,500sq.m office building, as well as the import and export of for Nalco Angola, which was awarded a (SPMTs) with the capacity to move structures there are 3,000sq.m of warehousing and refined products. production chemical contract by BP’s of up to 150 tonnes around the yard. covered storage. Greater Plutonio FPSO on Block 18. “The aim is to provide top-end services to

AUTUMN 2007 27 PMP GLOBAL Not least among Angola’s riches is the cultural and ethnic diversity and ethnic riches cultural is the Angola’s least among Not it may seem simple on, but even though life goes areas the rural In storytelling conti- of timeless art and a bright weave thread Music,

of its people – and the further one ventures into the heart into coun- of the – and the furtherof its people one ventures impact of outsiders becomes as the this influence stronger the try, diminishes. is as intricatelycommunity activity choreo- observer, to the casual of with the interplay environment, as in any urban graphed taken. the directions personalities influencing of human memory the frontiers beyond to feed the nuity that endures to come. soul of the generations

N

INSIDE ANGOLA REGIONAL FOCUS borderountry CHome of the ancient Chokwe kingdom, the Lunda provinces provide an intriguing frontier land between Angola and the tropical beauty of the Congo Basin The provinces of Lunda Sul and Lunda Norte form the north east-corner of Angola Tbordering on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Touching down at the dusty airport of Saurimo, Lunda Sul’s capital, after the 1,000km flight from Luanda, there is a palpable sense of distance from civilisation. Not that the neat provin- cial capital with its well-ordered streets does not exhibit all the trappings of cities further west, it is more a sense of being deeper into the interior of Africa. In the countryside around the city, the flat open bush is dotted with grass-hut villages and closely-wooded valleys known as gallery forests which hug close to the rivers running south to north towards the mighty Congo River almost 1,200km away. At nearly every bridge or clear area, women are washing clothes or bathing – but keeping a wary eye out for crocodiles. Saurimo is a gratifying sur- prise: although it was held by the MPLA throughout the civil war and was besieged at times by Unita there are few signs of the former conflict, unlike in many other communities. This is because there was no inten- sive sowing of mines, to AUTUMN 2007 31 PMP GLOBAL safeguard the lucrative diamond- mining were one province. Now, Lunda Sul comprises hardship and the pervading closeness of death watch the proceedings. “We are able activities. almost 78,000sq.km with a population of mean that the Christian message strikes a par- The mission also runs a medical centre and COUNTRY LIFE: Saurimo was also one of the easternmost around 190,000 people. Cassai Sul was where ticular chord with the Chokwe people,” says small leper colony, the latter now thankfully in Washday smiles and clean to undertake points on which the colonising Portuguese put the emigrants from the Lunda-Chokwe empire British missionary Ruth Hadley of the decline as the disease appears to be on the laundry, market day with manioc flour for sale, Sunday their stamp, so the design of public buildings finally settled, and Zona Cucumbi, Mona Christian Brethren. “We are able to undertake wane. useful work in service for a village community and homes, while clearly of European influ- Quimbundo, Sueji and Itengo were the points useful work in education and healthcare, and “Our big project at the moment is the con- education and ence, exhibits much less of the distinctly of the first Portuguese military incursion to the form a valuable point of reference that is clear- struction of a new primary school,” says Ms colonial style to be found elsewhere in the region. ly independent of other authorities.” Hadley, as she leads the way along a jungle healthcare, country. Most of the population practices subsis- Attending a Sunday service in a remote vil- path to where the buildings are taking shape. Considerable efforts have been made by tence agriculture, growing manioc, sweet lage out in the bush gives a compelling “It is designed to interface with the official and form a the local administration under the direction of potato and yam, and supplementing its diet experience of this. On approaching the large government education programme.” valuable point the governor Dr Marcial Miji Kalumbi Satambi with fishing and hunting. Other crops such as grass-roofed hut that is the church, singing Just beyond the Saurimo limits, a tented Itengo to smarten up the public places, and at tomatoes, soya beans and potatoes all thrive, that would do credit to a cathedral choir gently camp houses returnees – Angolans coming of reference night they are illuminated with recently but the root vegetable manioc is the staple. resonates through the sun-baked silence of the back to their homeland after they or their par- installed street lighting powered by electricity Taking 12 months to mature, it is processed tall grass. ents fled the hostilities. They have come from independent from the nearby Chicapa hydroelectric into many forms, including a fine white flour. Entering the dark interior, it is a while Zambia and are waiting to be transferred to scheme. The only real employment centres on dia- before the scene becomes visible. On rows of their own villages. It is a surprise to hear them of other The region is the heartland of the Chokwe mond extraction. Efforts are being made to benches sit the villagers, quite literally in their speak better English than they do Portuguese, authorities.” people. The name Lunda refers to this ancient establish other industries, such as the manu- “Sunday best” – the men in suits and ties, due to their time away, and although they feel kingdom which straddled northeastern Angola facture of construction materials, powered by women in colourful dresses and headscarves reluctant to approach the city for work, Ms Ruth Hadley, missionary of and the southwestern part of the DRC. The electricity from the Chicapa scheme. cuddling their babies, some breastfeeding, as Hadley points out that with their fluent Christian Brethren Chokwe have rich historical and cultural tradi- The main route to the west through Cacolo the service unfolds. English they have a valued skill to teach. tions demonstrated in their songs, folklore and and Malange is in a poor state, in spite of the At the front is a simple altar, while along- After the soft seat of the flight from Luanda dances. In the mukanda, young boys learn how rehabilitation programme being undertaken side sit the visiting preacher and choir. to Saurimo, the 250km-overland ride along to dance, to make traps, to fish, hunt, make by Chinese contractors. Although the service appears to have no for- vestigial roads in an ancient Land Rover to handicrafts and the rhythms of their traditional Although this region is not quite what was mal structure – a succession of hymns and Dundo, capital of Lunda Norte, is a more lively music – but nowadays the young girls receive described by Victorian explorers as “Darkest songs interspersed by prayers, bible readings experience. But even the featureless open ter- their cultural, sexual and social education in Africa”, church missionary societies over sever- and instruction – the message is clear enough rain has a pattern – a succession of sprawling the home. Chokwe sculpture is highly popular al generations have done valuable work within and there is earnest intensity among the con- villages and manioc plantations buried in for- with collectors – one of the most well known the ethnic communities, including education gregation as it joins in. est clearings, and the drifting smoke from forms being O Pensador, a graceful figure of a and the building of schools, in addition to Through the door, the infinite bush free-burning fires on the horizon. philosopher resting his head in his hands. moral guidance. stretches into the distance, interrupted only by A frequent occurrence during the dry sea- Until 1986, Lunda Sul and Lunda Norte “Their social structure, family community, the silhouettes of youngsters leaning in to son, the flames skip through the grass and

32 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 33 Shared Vision

Dr Marcial Miji Kalumbi Satambi Itengo and Viriato Chalituka have things in com- mon. Both are from the same province in northeastern Angola and have travelled far beyond the horizons of their childhood to gain experience of other countries. Neither is young and they are separated by a gulf that puts them almost at opposite ends of the social spectrum – yet both have a pas- sion to improve the lot of their fellow citizens. Marcial (left) is the son of a king and governor of Lunda Sul Province. Viriato farms a small plot of land outside Saurimo “I am proud of my “The soil I work is employing a handful of labourers to gath- in diamonds but remains er vegetables for sale in the market. vastly impoverished, with part in shaping the given by God. I only As the son of an influential ruler, Dr most of the population not Itengo, who was a child in colonial times, future of what was wish to share what employed in the diamond was sent first to the University of Congo at industry living on subsistence Elizabethville to complete his education my father’s I have, rather than farming, as in Lunda Sul. where he gained an honours degree in lin- Arrival into Dundo in guistics. With the coming of kingdom.” to take.” darkness some 10 hours after independence, he moved to Namibia and Dr Marcial Miji Kalumbi Satambi Itengo, Viniatu Chalituta, leaving Saurimo allows no then Botswana to lecture in applied lin- Provincial governor, Lunda Sul subsistence farmer, Saurimo hint of its surprising and guistics and development administration. unique architecture. Adjacent In 1978, during the civil war, Dr Itengo to Chitato, on the border with moved on to Swaziland, then to Australia the DRC, the city was origi- and finally to the United Kingdom to do outlying villages could benefit from solar to make a success with what I can do.” nally built by a British mining research at the North London University. “I energy. Living in the country outside Saurimo, he could not stand to see the fighting company to house workers “In addition to lighting our streets, runs a small holding where, with up to 15 between brothers,” he says. “But though engaged in diamond extrac- electricity will power new industries here,” people, he grows an increasing variety of tion – and dawn reveals an the transition was difficult, I learnt a lot. In

PHOTOS: PMP GLOBAL says the governor. “This will mean real vegetables. 2001 my father died, but I felt that my almost perfect recreation of jobs. We have many rivers in this region “Everyone here eats manioc, but I am younger brother would be more suitable to scrub which will soon regrow with the return an English suburban town of the period, and a plentiful supply of clean power, so growing cabbage, papaya, beans, toma- CITY LIFE: wear the crown.” of the rains. Lumpy termite mounds spear though now somewhat dilapidated. we are not dependent on oil.” toes and pineapples,” he says. “These Official residences in Instead, he was appointed Governor of Dundo and Saurimo, skywards across the landscape. But like Saurimo, this city has fine, well- Along the way Governor Itengo has also provide a more varied diet of vitamins and Lunda Sul and took up residence in young returnees, It may be the temporary cloud that dark- kept public buildings including a library and overseen the restoration of much of the other nutrients. I am experimenting with Saurimo, where much needed to be done officers of the law ens the sky, but Lucapa – named as the museum. The latter is now closed but once capital, and with it the pride of its citizens. fertilisers when I can get them, and if I to rebuild the infrastructure and mend rela- provincial capital of Lunda Norte by President housed a fine collection of Chokwe artefacts, “I am proud of my part in shaping the have seeds over, I distribute them in the tionships between old enemies. Agostino Neto and now a centre for the dia- now looted. There is a new university, and a future of what was my father’s kingdom. community.” “I saw the priorities as reliable electrici- mond interests of the region – has the look hospital is being built in the shell of a former My roots are in this soil, but I have had the Chalituka is providing jobs and slowly ty, clean water, and a hospital and schools and feel of a Wild West frontier town. Police public building – evidence that some central good fortune to see how things are done in inculcating the basic skills that will enable in every district,” he says. “Being so far- patrolling the streets with guns at the ready government investment is taking place. other parts of the world,” he says. others to produce healthy food. The imme- from the centre of power in Luanda, there are highly visible, and there is a barely- con- An example of this is the micro-credit The contrast with Viriato Chalituka diate limit being placed on his thriving were few resources, and communications cealed menace in the air. project which has benefited 463 farmers since could hardly be greater, though he too has business is transportation of the produce to were seriously compromised with the many A passing car displays a windscreen shat- it was implemented in 2005. They are now gained unique insight into the ways of oth- market. However, he has already applied to bridges in ruins.” ers. Educated in a mission school, with the cultivate a further 30 hectares, and other tered by bullets – incongruously repaired with producing rice, cassava, maize and peanuts. But in the years since he moved into coming of the civil war he was imprisoned local people have begun to take notice of transparent tape. The airport, now apparently The programme was launched by the the governor’s residence, Dr Itengo has as a terrorist in Namibe province, where he his methods and his improved yields. closed, is littered with the wrecks of large Finance Ministry, and the state-owned credit worked hard to improve life for his people. later learnt the techniques of agriculture In his own way, he echoes Governor freighters cocked at crazy angles where they and savings bank, BPC, the Federation of When the hydroelectric dam was being from white people. Itengo’s open-handed philosophy. “The soil have come to rest with their wings pointing Farmers Associations, Sol Bank and the built for the Catoca on the nearby Chicapa “This was my university,” says the I work is given by God. I only wish to share skywards. Agrarian Development Institute to help farm- River, he insisted that a share of the power deeply religious Chalituka. “God put me in what I have, rather than to take,” says Lunda Norte has an area of 103,000sq.km ers, teachers and nurses to improve their generated should find its way to light the this community and gave me the wisdom Chalituka. and a population of around 850,000. It is rich social conditions. ❖ streets and homes of Saurimo, while the

34 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 35 NATURAL RESOURCE

At the mention of Angola, the first word to trip off many tongues is Sparkling probably “oil” – but the diamond industry is now the country’s second Asset biggest revenue earner

The vast interior of the South African dia- Angola, approximately mond giant, which the size of western recently restarted its TEurope, is today one of operations in Angola. the continent’s biggest While clearly confi- gem producers – and dent of the industry’s the world’s fifth largest potential to be a sig- after Botswana, nificant cash earner, Russia, Canada and Dr Calado is under no South Africa. illusion that its dia- Indeed, while mond activities will Angola’s diamonds ever reap more already make up rewards than oil. between 7 to 9 per “No, this isn’t pos- cent of global produc- sible,” he says. “We’re tion, the state diamond company Endiama not trying to do this, it isn’t our objective. says it is still early days for the industry, We would like the sector to grow, to help which it believes will blossom now that the spur development here. We can only com- country is at peace. plement the oil industry, but diamond “At the moment we produce seven mil- revenues will never reach those of oil. lion carats a year and we would like to see Investments in the oil sector are very large that grow,” says Dr Manuel Calado, the com- and the industry makes a lot of money. pany’s president, who predicts that the firm “But maybe we could become the could see annual production swell to more state’s second largest revenue earner. We than 10 million carats this year. would like to become a strong company, Angolan diamonds are considered by the able to contribute significantly to the state industry to be of top–notch quality. Experts budget.” say alluvial deposits –– washed from kim- During the war, almost all production berlite formations by the elements over was low-cost, shallow mining of alluvial thousands of years into surrounding rivers deposits from where they could be plucked and soils –– generally go for more than $200 by hand. But because it requires huge num- per carat which is well above the interna- bers of labourers and is spread over large tional average. areas, it was more difficult to regulate than “Everything we see about Angolan dia- kimberlite mining.

H RN RU/GETTY THE BRANT GROUP/ monds suggests that they are very good Since 2003, the government has expelled indeed,” says a senior official from De Beers, several hundred thousand illegal foreign OLIVIER POLET/CORBIS “If I’m an miners in a bid to impose some control on the year, but we didn’t have an exact control of the sector and crack down on widespread smug- sector so it was hard to tell,” says a senior African and I gling activities. Endiama executive. “Today investors have In this increasingly organised climate, for- more security, they can now find Angolan have diamonds eign businessmen have not been shy in technicians who can work on projects and we demonstrating their confidence in Angola’s are gaining more and more importance in the in my African mineral sector – with diamonds winning the international market.” land, I want to number one spot. Geologists, dealers and min- As internal production continues to swell, ers rub shoulders with oilmen at all the biggest Endiama has in the last few years been actively see an output hotels in downtown Luanda, and Endiama reg- developing its presence across the globe, ularly releases details of new deals it has struck opening new sales offices in Tel Aviv and of these with foreign diamond mining companies. Antwerp – with a third to be opened in Hong There can be little doubt that the diamond Kong and talk of yet another in New York. The diamonds to industry is burgeoning. Industry sources say Hong Kong branch sees the creation of a new give work to that it is a lot safer and cheaper to make company, Endiama China International Superstar Mine investments and run operations in the dia- Holding Ltd, which will carry out diamond my people, not mond sector now that Angola is at peace. prospecting, exploration and trading in China, The hub of gem extraction “It is certainly a much more attractive which is an increasingly important economic in north-east Angola is the to other business opportunity today than it was in the partner to Angola. Kimberlite mine near past. To give you an example, our operation “We want to start prospecting and explor- Saurimo, Lunda Sul, which people.” costs have significantly declined, as we can ing in China and then in the Asia–Pacific area. was started in early 1997 and Lev Leviev, Israeli transport most of the things we need by road We want to sell diamonds in China but get into produced more than 2.6 mil- diamond magnate rather than using expensive air freight,” says other businesses through this, such as a pol- lion carats in 2001. Reserves one business executive. “But as the climate ishing factory and jewellery manufacture,” are estimated at 60 million improves, the competition is hotting up. There says a company executive. “We are thinking carats. Catoca is the world’s are more and more companies wanting to about how to invest in China through Endiama fourth biggest diamond pro- come into Angola now to get a piece of the China Ltd. This is something we are studying”. ducer and known for its action.” In October 2005, the industry added anoth- The plant – the biggest in Africa – has the For Endiama, which has a 48 per cent share high-quality gems. Endiama too has been reaping the divi- er rung to its ladder, with the opening of its capacity to process around $30 million worth in the factory, the opening of the plant signi- The Catoca mine employs dends of peace. “Before [the end of the war] first diamond-polishing factory in Luanda’s of diamonds, equivalent to 70,000 carats, each fies the turning of a page in the history of the 1,400 Angolans, most of we were producing 2 to 4 million carats per Talatona district. month. This means that around 40 per cent of industry. “This represents the starting up of a whom come from Lunda Sul. all rough diamonds mined in Angola could be new business for us, and the start of a new Although Catoca is forging polished at home before being sold on the industry for the country, which means survival ahead in terms of production, international market. for many employees who will find work here,” it faces one big challenge: as Israeli diamond magnate Lev Leviev has a said Dr Calado at the factory’s opening. a result of the destruction of 47 per cent share in the Angola operation as “Rough diamonds already have a value, add to the road and rail networks in well as stakes in several other polishing facto- that their polishing and for sure they’ll have the war, all fuel and other ries globally including South Africa and extra value…it makes economic sense.” essential supplies have to be Namibia. He says diamond-rich countries in Indeed, Eugenio Bravo da Rosa, the direc- flown in from Luanda. Africa such as Angola should add value to the tor general of Angola Polishing Diamonds The post-independence rough diamonds they extract by polishing (APD), recently told the Jornal de Angola that government did not benefit them. polished diamonds could bring in annual rev- from diamond revenues “If I’m an African and I have diamonds in enue of between $300 and $400 million. If because during the 1990s my African land, I want to see an output of Unita controlled diamond coupled with the creation of an efficient chan- these diamonds to give work to my people, not production in the Lundas, nel for selling the gems, da Rosa is confident to other people,” he says. “You see that there is using the gems to fund its that this sub–sector could also make a signifi- a range of 30 to 40 per cent of unemployment war effort. cant contribution to the the country’s gross in Africa. So the simplest solution is to help This has brought one clear domestic product. them help themselves, which means to invest benefit to the province: As the industry flourishes, becoming even here to process more raw materials within the Although the Lundas were a more expansive and better organised, dia- country.” centre of rebel activity, there Inside the new $10 million polishing plant, monds will certainly become a major source of was no intensive planting of

HOPEFUL: workers in the OLIVIER POLET/CORBIS row upon row of the latest hi-tech machines employment and income for the country. The land mines in the area informal sector dig for have been installed where around 600 song tells us that “diamonds are a girl’s best because Unita wanted to con- alluvial diamonds, Lunda Angolans are working – including 40 per cent friend” and it seems that Angola can now also Norte province tinue exploit the diamonds. women and 40 per cent disabled . count itself fortunate with this loyal ally! ❖

38 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 39 Many local people work independently, but most successful Any Dream will Do entrepreneurs on the informal market employ individuals to dig the riverbeds and other likely spots in which the precious gems have The big mining companies shift thousands of tonnes of soil in come to rest, in return for food and shelter. their search for Kimberlite diamonds – but anyone could dip their The next step is to take the stones to one of the dealers in hand into a river in the Lundas, scoop up a handful of gravel and, Saurimo, or Lucapa and Dundo in Lunda Norte, or wait for a dealer with a bit of luck, find one of those highly-prized carbon crystals nestling in their palm. to make an approach. Malange city, approximately midway between Alluvial diamonds are considered to be almost everywhere in the Luanda and the Lundas, is a favoured rendezvous. ground of Lunda Sul and Lunda Norte, from the vast craters like that All diamonds exported from Angola bear an official certificate, of the Catoca mine a few kilometres from Saurimo to one of the whether from one of the mines or the so-called informal sector, and clear fast-flowing streams in the countryside. all Angolan diamonds must be bought and sold through the state And if you do find one, it’s yours, subject to certain formalities. diamond company, Endiama. If the stone is selected through a dealer TAXI/GETTY On the other hand, if you want to buy a diamond from one of the in the diamond fields, it must then be transferred to Endiama for cer- registered dealers, that is no problem either.

OLIVIER POLET/CORBIS tification and government duty paid. One of the difficulties is the effort required to dig for them – and another is knowing where to dig. Acquiring a concession is some- But just as it is said that a girl has to kiss many frogs before she thing of a lottery and most of the truly promising areas are already finds her prince, usually, many tonnes of earth have to be sifted to Diamonds: the hard facts very slightly included), VS (very slight inclusions), SI (slight controlled by the big operators, leaving only the more marginal find a diamond. Sadly, the beautiful sparkler shown here is just a val- inclusions) to I (included). Between SI and I inclusions can easily prospects to the small investor. ueless chip of quartz. be perceived with the naked eye. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance on earth, rat- ing 10 on the Mohs scale, a standard that compares substances CARAT: Carat is the unit of measurement used for gemstones – by scratching one against the other. A diamond’s quality, and not to be confused with the standard for classifying gold therefore its value, is assessed according to four basic criteria: according to the percentage of gold in the alloy. Carat in the colour, clarity, carat and cut. Its hardness coupled with its neu- context of diamonds is a mass measurement: one carat is equal tral colour has elevated the diamond to the gem of choice for to 0.2 grams. Bigger diamonds are much harder to find and engagement rings. Poor quality stones, judged unfit for jew- therefore are much more expensive. In other words, a one- ellery, are used in industrial processes. carat stone is more valuable than two half-carat diamonds. A flawless diamond weighing more than 100 carats (2 grams) is COLOUR: The whiter a diamond appears, the higher its bril- known as a paragon. liance, as light can travel unobstructed through the stone, whereas off-white stones cannot refract the full spectrum of CUT: A diamond’s cut has two aspects – the view from above colours. Stones are graded from D (completely colourless) to Z and the view from the side. The shape of the stone as viewed (strong yellow). The A, B, and C grades were initially left open from above was traditionally always cut into rounds, but to allow for stones whiter than D. A diamond’s value decreases shapes have progressively become more experimental includ- moving down the alphabet, and at J the layman can easily dis- ing ovals, pears (tear-drop), trillians (triangular), emerald cern discolouration. (rectangular), princess (square), marquise (boat-shaped) and While this scale was set to grade white diamonds tending even heart-shaped stones. A diamond’s side proportions influ- towards yellow, diamonds also occur in other colours including ence its brilliance and if a stone is cut too shallow or too deep, pink, green, blue and red, but these are not usually included as it can lose brilliance. they are extremely rare, highly sought after and considerably more expensive. KIMBERLITE: Diamonds are categorised as either kimberlite or Coloured stones are still classified as diamonds because of alluvial. Kimberlite diamonds form within vertical veins of kim- their crystal structure and unique physical properties. They are berlite rock, known as pipes. Alluvial diamonds are found in transparent and exhibit the same brilliance as their white riverbed deposits or in the topsoil of old rivers. Due to the ease counterparts. Black diamonds are completely opaque, and are with which alluvial diamonds can be extracted, they are easily the least valuable of all gem-quality diamonds generally being open to illicit exploitation. Indeed, conflict or ‘blood’ dia- relegated to industrial use. monds, so called because they have financed rebel movements across Africa from Sierra Leone to Angola, are almost without CLARITY: Internal and external flaws in a diamond detract exception alluvial diamonds. from its ability to refract light and thus compromise its value. In 2000, the Kimberly Process was initiated in an attempt to Internal flaws refer to the presence of tiny cracks or uncrys- regulate global diamond trading and prevent the sale of dia- talised carbon within a diamond, known as inclusions. A monds originating from conflict areas. Through the Kimberly

diamond is considered internally flawless if it has no such Process Certification Scheme, adopted in 2003, trade in conflict PMP GLOBAL blemishes visible under 20x magnification. Stones are graded diamonds has been reduced from 4 per cent to as little as1 per downwards from IF (internally flawless) through VVS (very, cent.

40 SONANGOL UNIVERSO CULTURE

The vast spread of Angola, from the remote There are also displays of Angolan musical interior to the Atlantic Ocean and from the instruments in other museums, such as the Congo rainforests to the arid border with Regional Museum of Huila in Lubango and the TNamibia, has produced exceptional riches in Dundo Museum. Many are also displayed reg- rhythm and melody – and to match such gems ularly in exhibitions in international museums there is an eclectic array of instruments whose as a testimony to their quality and relevance to Making Angola’s music defines the sounds carry the music to the furthest corners music history. nation, enshrining the fibre of the nation. Angolan musical instruments are also In fact, Angolan musical instruments are a acknowledged by the oil industry as the names of its culture, its aspirations rare collection of odd and not-so-odd gadgets, of the wells in Block 15, offshore of Angola, and its dreams – and that simply crafted with the wisdom of sound – operated by Exxonmobil: Xikomba, Hungo, music needs its own unique African sound – playing notes and rhythms Chocalho, Kissange, Dikanza and Mondo. Music instruments that strike a chord in the roots of the soul. Others yet to be discovered will also all bear

Each assumes a specific role for which it Angolan musical instrument names. was crafted and is represented in almost all As a result, the supermajor has sponsored Angolan traditional events, ancient and mod- the publication of a fascinating book written ern from storytelling, folklore, music and dance by Vicente Pinto de Andrade and Manuel to meetings and special gatherings – even heal- Fernando: Angolan Society and Its Traditional ing rituals and in battle, as an instrument to Musical Instruments: A sociological Perspective. communicate with soldiers or the enemy. With the recent hostilities finally at an end, Membraphones, Idiophones, cultural events such as the Luanda Trienial are Cordophones and Aerophones Left and centre: The Marimba, perhaps the most now on the increase and with them, the redis- Of these, the most used and recognisable is musically rich Angolan instrument, is covery and revival of the musical instruments the drum, but the list of musical instruments made by master craftsmen, who are and their use in the contemporary Angolan art is so diverse that there is a profusion of names, or were themselves players, using and music scene. usages and types. Because of this diversity, it is specially selected dense wood to The National Museum of Anthropology in usual to divide them into four types, according produce a sonorous sound. The gourds of different sizes beneath the Luanda displays a collection of these priceless to the method by which they create their keys vary the tone, and the Marimba artefacts, with the purpose of putting more sound: membraphones, idiophones, cordo- can be played by two or three value to them. As director Américo phones and aerophones. people using wooden sticks Kwononoka explains: “The reason for this This widely accepted classification was exposition is to give a boost to the makers of made by Curt Sachs and Erich von Hornbostel Right: these beautiful instruments and those who in 1914 and was followed by Portuguese eth- The Kissanje is held in both hands play them, to preserve this legacy for the com- nologist José Redinha, who started researching and the strips of metal or bamboo are played with the thumbs. Its size ing generations, and as an inspiring source for PHOTOS: JOSE SILVA PINTO in Angola more than 70 years ago and has allows it to be carried during long the creation of the structural values for a true written many books about Angolan people trips “to keep away solitude and cultural identity.” and its culture. warm the heart with familiar sounds”

AUTUMN 2007 43 Membraphones found along the coastline of Angola, used cen- rhythm for the Capoeira street fight. “The reason for this exposition is to Inset: the Cinguvu, used as an The well known drum, or Ngoma in some turies ago for signalling in battle. This type of There is also the Xikomba, a musical bow accompaniment and to mark time, drum was also used to send messages between usually made by a single string attached in a is crafted from large tree trunks native languages or Batuque in Portuguese, is give a boost to the makers of these part of the membraphones group, as it pro- tribes, due to the penetrating and loud sound wooden bow with a small gourd, and the very Below: various types of drum, duces sound through a membrane, made from it makes. widely known Kakoxe, a type of violin made beautiful instruments and those including the Batuque, Pwhita and goat or antelope skin, which is placed on the with two or three strings. Ngoma. Pwhitas were used to who play them, and to preserve this opening of a resonance box, usually made of Idiophones send messages and to signal for In this group we find some of the most Aerophones battle. The Ngoma produces its wood, and “calibrated” with resin from trees. legacy for the coming generations.” sound through a membrane made There are different types of drum accord- important Angolan instruments such as the In this category, not very widely known in from goat or antelope skin ing to their function, type of membrane and Marimba, a kind of xylophone made from Angola, there are different whistles, flutes, trum- Américo Kwononoka, Director National Museum of Anthropology, Luanda size of resonance box, but all usually have wood with different sizes of gourds attached, pets and even a wind gourd. There are also carved inscriptions to mark their relevance, or which produce a highly recognisable sound for beautiful long trumpets made from antelope for purely ornamental purposes. all Angolans. They can be played by two or horns, such as those used by the Himbas people three people using wood sticks similar to the – and others made from carved wood and metal Other types of drum are the Phwitas, to be Traditional instruments include (clockwise from left): familiar drumstick. like the Mpungi, used by the Kikongos ethnic ❖ the Masokola, Marimba, Kissanje, Rattle, Reco Then there is the Kissanje (or Mbira), group. Reco and centre, the Cinguvu Chisanji and Likembe, depending on the region and its native language), one of the old- est which because of its portable size is Fire and Rhythm commonly carried during long trips “to keep away the solitude and warm the heart with The sound of chains on the roads familiar sounds”. This instrument is made usu- the songs of birds ally by fixing metal blades in a plank of wood, under the humid greenery of the forest and is played using the thumbs. freshness in the smooth symphony Another well-known instrument is the of the palm trees Mondo, a big drum, almost a metre in length, fire carved from a single piece of wood and played fire on the grass with two drumsticks. This powerful instrument fire on the heat of the Cayatte plains is used mainly to communicate, since its Wide paths sound carries for many miles. full of people full of people Also among the Idiophones, is the simple an exodus from everywhere Reco Reco (also known as the Lundamba or wide paths to closed horizons Dikanza), made from a tree trunk, hollowed but paths and carved with rims on the outside. Using a paths open atop simple stick or rod, a grating sound is pro- the impossibility of arm duced, making this a very rhythmical fire instrument which is often used by modern dance musicians. tamtam In this category there are also several types rhythm of very ornate rattle, made from different materials like gourds or calabashes and filled Rhythm in light traditionally with seeds, that beat out the rhythm in colour rhythm. rhythm in movement rhythm in the bloody cracks of bare feet Cordophones rhythm on torn nails These include musical bows, harps and yet rhythm lyres, instruments that produce sound through rhythm strings attached to wooden bows or resonance boxes. There is the Hungu, typically the Oh painful African voices Luanda musical bow played with a stick and fingers, made by attaching a metal string to a wood bow with a gourd that serves as an Sagrada Esperança (Sacred Hope) acoustic box. According to Pinto de Andrade, by Agostinho Neto (1922-1979) these monochord bows come from a very big First President of Angola. family and are related to the Berimbau – wide- ly known in Brazil – frequently providing

44 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 45 INTERVIEW passion for the Moving image

As one of Angola’s first independent producers, and a veteran reporter of the conflict years, Oscar Gil’s mission is the development of home-grown TV programmes and film production

Number Five on Rua Rainha Ginga sits inconspicuously across the street from the Jornal de Angola offices in downtown Luanda, a few doors from a passport photo shop and one block Nfrom the historic Lello bookstore. The heavy glass and wood- frame door is unmarked and unlocked, opening easily with a push on the round brass handle. Stepping in, the interior could be a small-town museum or an antique shop, the walls lined with historic gramophones and film cameras, stacks of film canisters and old-time radios. Figurines and posters of classic icons throughout the studio compete for attention: Marilyn Monroe, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Laurel and Hardy, Bob Marley. The winner seems to be Charlie Chaplin, whose surprised face gazes silently out over the tripods and record players all over the studio. From across the partition that separates the front door from the rest of the high-ceilinged room, a voice booms out. This is Oscar Gil. He is a large man. Large in size and in voice, large in ideas. In Angola’s embryonic film and audiovisual industry, Oscar Gil Produções is unquestionably one of the leading video and film

CARLOS MOCO production houses. Gil sweeps his arm in welcome to the studio he has built over the last six years. His salt-and-pepper hair and 46 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 47 “We were his circle beard are cropped short; his green, independence, German and French television In 2000 and 2001, Oscar Gil loose-fitting safari shirt spreads gently over a teams gave intensive technical training to the Produções won the Grande Premio reporters, but comfortable stomach. new contingent of Angolan journalists and de Publicidade for greatest achieve- “This is my journey,” he remarks, gesturing producers, knowing that these were the young ment in the advertising category, we were also to the black-and-white photographs mixed in men and women who would constitute the and in 2003, Gil’s educational mini- among the decorative paraphernalia on the new nation’s television network, Televisão series about HIV/Aids Caminhos troops, studio walls. Popular de Angola (TPA). Cruzados (Crossed Paths) was wearing The first image is that of Gil with his film Gil learnt camera work and reporting, awarded the National Culture crew of two in the Angolan bush, all dressed in together with soundman Artur Neves, (later to Award in the category of film and uniforms and fatigues and squinting into the sun. “This was become a prominent promoter of Angolan audiovisual. my first job as a TV reporter in Cunene during music), capturing the scenes and celebrations Advertising is the bread and carrying arms, the war – and here, my first film camera, the of independence that filled Luanda’s streets on butter of Oscar Gil Produções, but CP16,” he says, pointing to a gangly tripod on Independence Day, November 11, 1975. of greater attraction to Gil are the though really, which is balanced an antiquated camera Gil then went on to become responsible for fiction projects he has been working our cameras which is gathering dust under the photo coverage of the war in the southern provinces on lately. Vidas a Preto e Branco gallery – a collectable among collectables. “I of Cunene, Namibe and Huila, hauling around (Lives in Black and White) is a mini- were our used this to film the invasions of the South the earliest bulky video cameras to shoot series about a young woman African mercenaries on the northern front.” images of skirmishes and proxy battles whose discovery of being HIV- weapons.” The life story told by Gil’s tour reveals how between Cubans, South Africans and Angolan positive turns her into a victim of his journey equipped him with the skills and troops. He filmed the South African incursions discrimination by friends and col- Oscar Gil, Angolan film producer experiences to do what he does, and what he across the Angola-Namibia border, including leagues, and forces her to face aspires to do today. For years Gil dreamt of the infamous Massacre of Cassinga, when both her condition and the having his own production house to make fic- more than 600 people were killed in and near a rejection of those she trusted. tion films. But with only one government-run refugee camp in Huila province. Desenraizados (Uprooted) is a television station, one poorly equipped movie “I filmed most of the invasions in the feature-length film for which Gil is theatre and a tiny under-funded arts commu- south,” he explains. “We were reporters, but in pre-production. It tells the story of a young nity, Angola is a discouraging place in which to we were also troops, wearing uniforms and woman who flees her village, together with her Although the number of independent pro- have such ambition, though some new cine- carrying arms, though really, our cameras were father and brother, to escape the armed con- ducers has increased since 2002 and there are ON LOCATION: mas have opened in recent years. our weapons.” flict of the war. Uprooted and arriving in the now more than 20 independent production Oscar Gil (right) with journalist Ze Manuel Rodriguez and camera Unhindered by these local constraints, Gil Motivated partly for family and health rea- capital city, the tiny family is torn apart by the houses in Angola, most rely on commissions assistant Mesquita in Cahama, has plans and projects. He believes in making sons, Gil decided to leave his colourful trials that survival puts them through. for commercial videos and advertising. “No Cunene province films about Angola, by Angolans, for Angolans reporting career in 1981 and head to Portugal. Though Gil has not been able to secure all producer works just to feed his ego – he has to and for world audiences – and he is pushing There he got work as a cameraman on soap the financing to produce the film, he hopes to earn a living like anybody else,” says Gil. But, others to think his way. “We artists in televi- operas, advertising and documentaries. Some complete it by the end of the year. nevertheless, he sees this as the opportune sion and cinema, we can use the audiovisual of these international projects took him to The big question for both of these projects time for the market to open up for local fiction arts to make parallel diplomacy,” he says. remote and exotic destinations around the is the market. Until recently, Angolan public work like his own. Gil emphasises the duty he and his peers world. “The 20 years I was in Portugal were a television has seemed reluctant to screen fic- “Angolans still see their country as war- have as pioneers in Angolan film and video. university for me – I learnt how to handle fic- tion work from local independent production torn – completely destroyed and in recovery. Coverage of Angola tends to focus on the coun- tional subject matter, working with good companies. TPA being the only currently exist- But look at us: in four years Angola has try’s problems, but by producing stories that Brazilian and Portuguese directors,” he says. ing local channel, the local distribution of both become one of the fastest-growing economies. reveal the country in greater detail, people can By 1999 Gil was ready for his return to Gil’s mini-series and his film will be limited to Now we have to engage the population with discover other facets to a country in rebirth – Angola to pursue his dream, propelled by his what TPA is prepared to buy. For that reason, new messages, help them to know more about what Gil means by parallel diplomacy. ambition to build a production company and Gil has already started making contacts with their own country, its cultural differences. If He got his start when Angola was being start on some of the Angolan projects he had RTP Africa and TV Cinque to seek distribution we can understand our cultural differences, we reborn out of the Portuguese regime. In 1975, conjured in his mind. Today, the evidence of in other African countries. will then like each other more. as colonists began gathering their belongings what he has done is visible throughout the stu- “But the mini-series Look is finished – and “Almost every home here now has a satel- on the airport tarmac, the activist cell of the dio of Oscar Gil Produções. people want to see local productions,” argues lite dish,” says Gil. “Dishes have exposed even Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola Besides the photo gallery and the video Gil optimistically. “TPA is under new manage- the poorest Angolans to the worlds of Portugal, (MPLA) assigned young recruits to train in sec- and film memorabilia, a back room holds five ment, and these are guys who should see Brazil and South Africa, but there is nothing tors that previously had only been open to the consoles where his staff edits video and film. [independent] producers not as competitors, Angolan to offer. People want to see their lives Portuguese. Behind the receptionist is a circular table hold- but as partners. As long as there is a monopoly portrayed – to see their personal experiences Working in the nascent national communi- ing a handful of awards, mostly for of television there is no evolution. If we had treated in stories on TV.” cations unit, Gil became one of the country’s outstanding achievements in advertising more channels we would have more competi- “Our obligation is to show that Angola is first class of reporters, writers and TV produc- granted through Angola’s national Premio TVC tion, and greater competition leads to better beautiful,” he says. “Leave it to others outside ers. In the months leading up to Commission. quality.” to show the ugly side.” ❖

48 SONANGOL UNIVERSO AUTUMN 2007 49 AGRICULTURE

forms part of Angola’s border with Namibia. declared to be of surprisingly good quality. At this stage, the group has three hectares “The Merlot and Shiraz output had a sugar “The land of vines under cultivation. “All of them are level of 14 per cent from three 150-metre rows from South Africa,” says Martinho. “Even of vines,” says Martinho. “We consider this to here is ideal. though some are to be found all over the be an excellent first result.” world, we felt that the experience of a country Like all winegrowers, he knows that there The terrain is on the same continent and famous for the is a short lifetime of opportunity to fine-tune well drained quality of its wine made our choice the safe the making of Angola’s first homegrown wine. one for our project.” But all the indications are that the initial suc- with just the From the start, the progress of this cess of this small enterprise could grow, groundbreaking scheme has involved an inno- provide more jobs and put the country’s name right soil vative approach, with the necessity to adapt on the map for something other than oil. the grape varieties to match the Cunene cli- And, who knows – Cunene could one day conditions, mate. “Already production is higher than we be a name that challenges famous South and enough expected by around six or seven tonnes per African brands. ❖ hectare,” says da Silva. “Around 30 per cent of rain when the vines are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz.” needed.” Last year showed the first significant profit from the two harvests in 12 months, and Paulo Martinho, already the vineyard is looking to expand to Project manager just under 20 hectares. By any standards, this (far left) is an exciting project for the 23-strong team, 20 of whom are Angolan, with two Brazilian technical experts. The first vintage, just 180 litres, has been PHOTOS: JEAN CHARLES PERRIN

increasingly affluent home market and gen- Prime Selection erate export revenues. One such initiative is the production of Cabernet Sauvignon winemaking techniques have allowed Merlot ine countries such as South Africa, New wine in the Xangogo region close to the Cabernet Sauvignon is a variety of red Merlot-based wines usually have Cunene River in southern Angola. grape mainly used for wine production and Zealand and Australia to produce very medium body with hints of berry, plum In colonial days, there was a law forbid- is, along with Chardonnay, one of the good, and at times, outstanding quality and currant. Its softness and “fleshiness”, of the ding the planting of grapes for wine most widely planted of world grape vari- Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines at com- combined with its earlier ripening, makes W production in Angola in order to protect eties. petitive prices. Merlot an ideal grape to blend with the sales of the colonial rulers’ domestic pro- Many of the red wines regarded as sterner, later-ripening Cabernet duction – a fact that tends to prove the among the world’s greatest, such as Red Shiraz Sauvignon. The name of the Shiraz grape comes potential. Indeed, in the last four years, one Bordeaux, are predominantly made from The name comes from the French Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. World-class from the city of Shiraz in Iran, close to new project initiated by a business group regional patois word merlot which means examples can improve for decades and where the process of wine making possi- has already delivered very promising young blackbird – thought to be because country bly originated 7,000 years ago. Historic remain drinkable for a century. The Portuguese have results in a region especially suited for cer- of the grape’s dark-blue colour, or per- tain types of grape. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape’s par- accounts state that the Syrah/Shiraz was haps the bird’s fondness for the fruit. a noble tradition of The increasingly stable environment of “The land here is ideal,” says project ticularly thick skin results in wines that brought into southern France by a return- Merlot is produced chiefly in France, winemaking – but Angola has seen the steady blossoming of manager Paulo Martinho. “The terrain is can be high in tannin which provides both ing crusader, Guy De Sterimberg. He Italy and California, and on a lesser scale the entrepreneurial spirit everywhere in the well drained with just the right soil condi- structure and ageability. As a group, became a hermit and developed a vine- only recently has an in Australia, Argentina, Chile, New country, with some brave souls prepared to tions, and enough rain when needed.” Cabernet Sauvignon wines are generally yard on a steep hill where he lived in the enterprising group Zealand and South Africa. It grows in Tdip their toes into the water of economic The enterprise, which started in 2003, is full-flavoured – stronger than Merlot and Rhône Valley. It became known as the chosen to develop optimism. managed by Pilartes da Silva, a Brazilian, with a smooth and lingering finish. Hermitage. many regions that also grow Cabernet the promise of Some go for the re-establishment of tra- and Martinho, who is a winegrower from Cabernet Sauvignon has a well Wines made from Shiraz are often Sauvignon, but tends to be cultivated in ditional activities such as coffee or rice Portugal. After trials to find the ideal envi- defined aroma, and the grape’s most quite powerfully flavoured and full-bodied the cooler parts of those areas. In the tra- Angola’s favourable production, but others have spotted new ronment, the team settled on a spot about notable success over the past decade has and the variety widely used to make a dry ditional Bordeaux blend, Merlot’s role is to climatic conditions possibilities in Angola’s agricultural sector, 110km from the provincial capital Ondjiva. been its use in the wines of the New red table wine – but many premium Shiraz- add body and softness, but one of the in Cunene province which with the right expertise can offer The new vineyard, Tchianda Farm, is locat- World where consistently optimal cli- based wines are at their best after being most famous and rare wines in the world, considerable potential to supply an ed on the banks of the Cunene River which mates, strong investment and innovative aged for perhaps 10 to15 years in cellar. Château Pétrus, is almost all Merlot.

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