The Angola LNG (liquid natural gas) project, which is due to be concluded in 2012, is expected to produce 5.2 million tons of gas per year, the director for Local and Government Matters, Modesto Laurentino da Silva said in Luanda.

Speaking to Angolan news agency Angop, he said that preparing and dredging the land had been finished in May and that by the end of 2008 actual construction of the factory is due to begin so that it can go into operation in the first half of 2012.

Angola LNG is being built in Soyo, northern Angola.

In the first half of 2012 production of gas at the Angola LNG project is due to begin, with the company forecasting that 125 million cubic metres of gas will be consumed by the domestic market and remaining production will be exported to the Atlantic basin, particularly the United States.

In the first phase of construction, the project may employ a total of 7,000 people, 60 percent of whom will be Angolan workers.

In the operating phase around 450 jobs will be created and recruitment is already underway for maintenance, operations, instrumentation, human resources, accounting and IT staff.