Malabo's dash for gas in Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea has secured fresh supply for its LNG plant, but can it build on that success?
Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima is a big fan of natural gas. Equatorial Guinea's energy minister spends large chunks of his year travelling around the world proselytising on the potential of the West African producer—the smallest Opec member by crude output—to become a major gas export hub. He says he is taking his cue from Middle Eastern oil producers now focusing on gas as the fossil fuel of the future. But he is also well aware of the need to replace Equatorial Guinea's declining oil output from maturing fields with export earnings from new volumes. Crude output is running at around 113,000bl/d in 2019, compared to 120,000bl/d in 2018, according to the minister. He puts a positive spin on that,
Also in this section
19 March 2026
The regional crisis highlights the undervalued role of fixed pipelines in the age of tanker flexibility
18 March 2026
Rising LNG exports and AI-driven power demand have raised concerns that US gas prices could climb sharply, but analysts say abundant shale supply and continued productivity gains should keep Henry Hub within a range that preserves the competitiveness of US LNG
18 March 2026
Risks of shortages in oil products may cause world leaders to panic and make mistakes instead of letting the market do what it does best
17 March 2026
The crisis in the Middle East has put LNG’s ability to offer security and flexibility under uncomfortable scrutiny






