(Business in Cameroon) - Yesterday, the CEO of the Cameroonian Oil Depot Corporation (SCDP), Véronique Manzoua Moampea Mbio, initiated the first welding of a new 1,000 metric-ton storage sphere at the Bonaberi depot in Douala. This marks a significant step in the project led by French engineering firm Parlym.

The construction is part of a contract secured through an internationally restricted tender, managed under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Commissioning, and Start-up (EPCCS) agreement. The project, valued at an undisclosed amount, was signed in July 2022 with a completion timeline of 30 months, targeting February 2025. However, Parlym Cameroon's General Manager, Gwendal Mostert, has indicated an early completion by July 2024, six months ahead of schedule. Currently, the engineering phase is complete, procurement is 90% done, and construction is 35% complete, with local engineers playing a significant role.

The new sphere, known as Sphere 6, is designed to meet modern safety standards and includes enhancements such as increased fire defense capabilities and automated processing and safety functions. According to the SCDP's CEO, this addition will double the unit capacity of existing spheres at the strategic Bonaberi site, which serves as a key reception and distribution point for domestic gas in Cameroon. The project will increase the site's liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage capacity from 2,500 to 3,500 metric tons, up 40%, and boost the national capacity from 3,970 to 4,970 metric tons, a 25.2% rise. This expansion will significantly improve the supply of domestic gas throughout the country.

"With this 40% increase in capacity, ship receptions can be managed more smoothly, and the consumption autonomy will extend from 4 to 6 days," stated Mbio. She added that this development would address significant supply interruptions in the LPG market by reducing ship rotations and easing logistical pressures at the depot.

Founded on July 1, 1979, the SCDP manages household and commercial oil stocks, the state's emergency reserves, and collects special petroleum product taxes and revenues from chemical markers used in anti-fraud measures. Notably, LPG supplies for the national market have grown from 35,000 tons in 2,000 to 170,000 tons in 2021, with imports accounting for about 80% of LPG consumed in Cameroon, primarily through the Bonaberi depot.