New Law for Transportation and Storage in Angola

The Angolan parliament has enacted a new law regarding the transportation and storage of crude. Law No. 26/12, of August 22, 2012, which came into force on the date of gazetting, defines the rules and procedures for undertaking crude oil and natural gas transportation and storage activities connected with petroleum operations carried out under the Petroleum Activities Law.

The transportation of hydrocarbons to international markets and other specific situations fundamentally related to oil exploration and production are excluded from the scope of the law.

The new rules impose licensing requirements for the activities covered by the Law, and set the fees to be paid by license holders as well as the fines that may be assessed for breaches of the Law’s provisions. The maximum validity periods for licenses for the construction and subsequent operation of oil and natural gas pipelines and storage facilities are addressed, as are rules on the ownership of their infrastructure and their use by third parties.

Finally, the new law also includes rules on public tenders for the hiring of transportation and storage services by the national concessionaire, its associates, and any other entity wishing to acquire those services.