Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures

What Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures does

Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH) is Cameroon’s national hydrocarbons corporation and a public limited company wholly owned by the State of Cameroon since its incorporation on 12 March 1980 in Yaoundé. SNH acts as the sole state representative in the upstream hydrocarbons sector, promoting, developing, and monitoring petroleum and gas activities across the national territory through direct negotiations and production-sharing contracts with international oil companies. The company became a full oil operator in 2009 with the commissioning of the Mvia field, and it now oversees the full upstream stack including block promotion, contract management, and marketing of the State’s share of crude oil (Kolé, Lokélé, and Ebome grades) on international markets.

The portfolio extends beyond traditional upstream into gas infrastructure and downstream projects. SNH manages natural gas collection and supply to the 216 MW Kribi thermal power plant from the Sanaga South field, supplies industrial users such as KEDA ceramics near Kribi and industries in the Douala/Bassa/Bonaberi zone via the Logbaba Association, and partners with Perenco and Golar in the Hilli Episeyo floating LNG facility (the world’s first floating plant built from an LNG carrier conversion, now at 1.4 MT/year capacity and exporting ~17.9 billion SCF in 2025). The Bipaga LPG depot, operational since 2018 and the sole local LPG source since June 2020, delivers ~30 thousand metric tons to the domestic market annually. The flagship downstream project is CSTAR, a USD 621.96 million integrated modular refinery (30,000 bbl/day) and strategic petroleum reserves depot at Mboro, Kribi, with construction underway since July 2025 and a USD 210 million financing mandate placed with BGFIBANK Cameroon.

Revenue is generated primarily through state transfers (XAF 364.580 billion transferable balance to the Treasury in 2025, plus XAF 27.71 billion in taxes and XAF 20.04 billion in dividends) derived from marketing the State’s share of crude oil and gas production, supplemented by equity returns from its 12-company portfolio (Addax Petroleum 20%, Perenco 20%, TRADEX 54%, HYDRAC 97.57%, SONARA 6.06%, COTCO 5.17%, and others). SNH also collects and monetizes national E&P data via the Petroleum Information Centre (CIP). Go-to-market is institutional and B2G — petroleum contract negotiation, licensing rounds (nine free blocks offered in August 2025), and bilateral gas supply agreements — with retail exposure via subsidiary TRADEX in Cameroon and four neighbouring countries.

Name

Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures

Legal name

Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures

Website

https://snh.cm

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures (SNH) is Cameroon’s state-owned national hydrocarbons corporation, founded 12 March 1980, which manages State interests in the upstream oil and gas sector, markets crude oil and LNG internationally, supplies natural gas to power and industrial customers, and is building the 30,000 bbl/day CSTAR refinery at Kribi.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Hydrocarbons Management & Upstream Oil and Gas Operations

NAICS

Oil and Gas Extraction (211), Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil (4861)

SIC

Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas (1311), Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389), Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171)

akta.pro primary industry

Production Operations & Well Optimization (Artificial Lift, Flow Assurance) (EUALAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Gas Infrastructure & Metering (Onsite Storage, PRS, Metering, SCADA) (EUALALAH), Local Distribution Company (LDC) Natural Gas Distribution Utilities (TLAGADAA), Gas-to-Power Project Development (IPP/CPP, Permitting, Financing) (EUALALAC), Gas Supply, Aggregation & Contracting (Producers, Marketers, Tolling, GSA) (EUALALAD)

Keywords

• National oil company
• Hydrocarbons exploration and production
• Crude oil export sales
• Natural gas supply infrastructure
• Petroleum block licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Yaoundé

HQ country

Cameroon

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Crude Oil Export Sales: SNH sells the share of national crude oil production accruing to the State on the international market through contracts, as well as its own share as an investor. It also carries out trading activities on behalf of partners. Revenue is transferred to the Public Treasury after deducting production costs. Transfers alone (excluding taxes and dividends) amounted to more than 5,000 billion CFAF between 2013 and 2023. In 2025, transferable balance to the state was 364.580 billion CFAF, plus 27.71 billion CFAF in taxes and 20.04 billion CFAF in dividends.
2. Natural Gas Sales (Domestic): SNH collects natural gas from producing companies and transports it to industries, power producers, distribution companies, and processing plants. Key customers include the Kribi Thermal Power Plant (4.920 billion SCF supplied in 2025) and KEDA ceramics plant (3.088 billion SCF in 2025).
3. LNG Export: Cameroon has been exporting LNG since 2018. Gas from the Sanaga South field is liquefied at the Hilli Episeyo floating facility off Kribi. SNH exports 17.905 billion SCF of LNG on behalf of the State in 2025. Production capacity is 1.4 million tonnes per year.
4. LPG Domestic Sales: SNH operates the Bipaga LPG storage and loading depot (the only local supply source since June 2020). LPG is delivered by tankers to marketers who bottle it for the domestic market. 30.063 thousand metric tons of domestic gas supplied to the local market in 2025.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SNH manages the State of Cameroon's interests in the upstream hydrocarbons sector, promoting exploration and production across the country's sedimentary basins in partnership with international oil companies. It markets the State's share of crude oil on international markets, supplies natural gas to power plants and industrial consumers, exports LNG via the Hilli Episeyo floating facility, operates the Bipaga LPG depot, and oversees infrastructure projects including the CSTAR integrated refinery near Kribi.

Product overview

SNH (Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures) is Cameroon's national hydrocarbons corporation managing State interests in the oil and gas sector. The company's portfolio includes core upstream management activities (block promotion, licensing, exploration monitoring, production oversight), crude oil trading through its 54%-owned TRADEX subsidiary, and major infrastructure projects. The flagship project is the CSTAR integrated refinery (30,000 barrels/day) near Kribi. SNH operates LPG storage facilities at Bipaga, participates in the Hilli Episeyo floating LNG project with Perenco and Golar, and supplies natural gas for electricity generation (Sanaga South to Kribi power plant) and industrial use (Logbaba field, KEDA ceramics). The Petroleum Information Centre manages exploration data. Through subsidiaries and partnerships, SNH is involved across the oil and gas value chain including quality control (HYDRAC), crude oil storage (COTSA), petroleum products storage (SCDP), and pipeline transportation (COTCO).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CSTAR: Project company for the integrated modular refinery and strategic petroleum reserves depot in Kribi, Cameroon
• TRADEX
• SNH Vélo Club

Products and services

• SNH Core Hydrocarbon Management Services Core mandate of managing and representing the State of Cameroon in upstream hydrocarbon activities, including promotion of sedimentary basins, negotiation of petroleum contracts, monitoring of exploration and production, and transfer of hydrocarbon revenues to the Public Treasury.
• CSTAR Integrated Refinery Modern integrated refinery project with 30,000 barrels per day capacity, located near Kribi Deep Sea Port, including a strategic petroleum reserves depot. Total estimated cost of USD 621.96 million, expected to create 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.
• Bipaga LPG Storage and Loading Depot Domestic gas (LPG) storage and loading depot in Bipaga, near Kribi, operated by SNH since 2018. The only source of local LPG supply since June 2020. Gas delivered by tankers to marketers who bottle it for household distribution. 30.063 thousand metric tons delivered to the local market in 2025.
• Hilli Episeyo Floating LNG Export Facility The world's first floating natural gas liquefaction plant built from the conversion of an LNG carrier, located off Kribi. Liquefies gas from the Sanaga South field with a production capacity of 1.4 million tonnes per year as of 2022. 17.905 billion SCF of LNG exported on behalf of the State in 2025.
• Gas Supply to Kribi Thermal Power Plant Natural gas supply from the Sanaga South field to the Kribi Thermal Power Plant (216 MW capacity) via a pipeline built and operated by SNH. 4.920 billion SCF supplied in 2025 to support electricity generation.
• Gas Supply to Douala & Kribi Industries Natural gas supply to industrial customers, including KEDA Ceramics (3.088 billion SCF in 2025) under a 20-year contract requiring 3.5 to 6.5 million cubic feet daily, and to industries in Douala's Bassa and Bonaberi areas via the Logbaba gas distribution network operated by the Logbaba Association (SNH and Gaz du Cameroon).
• Petroleum Information Centre (CIP) Data Services Collects, stores, and markets exploration and production data from oil and gas activities in Cameroon (seismic acquisitions, well data, technical studies). Manages a remote-access mapping portal and coordinates the Centre de Stockage des Échantillons de Forages (CSEF) — a physical sample storage facility near Douala.
• Petroleum Block Promotion and Licensing Rounds Demarcation, promotion, and allocation of free blocks in the national mining domain to international oil companies. Current blocks include Bakassi, Bolongo Exploration, Ndian River (Rio Del Rey basin), and Etinde Exploration, Elombo, Ntem, Kombe-N'sepe, Bomono (Douala/Kribi-Campo basin).
• TRADEX Crude Oil Trading and Petroleum Marketing Trading and export of crude oil and petroleum products, operated by TRADEX (54%-owned by SNH). Extending operations to Chad, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, and Democratic Republic of Congo. Operates filling stations across Cameroon (37th in Centre region as of 2025).
• HYDRAC Hydrocarbon Quality Control Services Quality control and laboratory testing/analysis services for hydrocarbons, provided by Hydrocarbures Analyses Contrôles (HYDRAC), in which SNH holds a 97.57% stake.
• Crude Oil Export Sales on International Markets Sale of the State's share of national crude oil production (Kolé, Lokélé, and Ebome grades) on international markets through contracts, plus SNH's own investor share. Crude oil is lifted at terminals and exported globally. Total transfers to the State exceeded 5,000 billion CFAF between 2013 and 2023.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19.374 million barrels of crude oil produced in 2025; 75.475 billion SCF of natural gas produced in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• GEPETROL (Equatorial Guinea)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026GEPETROL is the national oil company of Equatorial Guinea and SNH's counterpart in the Yoyo-Yolanda cross-border gas field development. The Unitisation Agreement for the field (estimated at 2.5 trillion cubic feet) was signed on 3 February 2026 in Malabo under the auspices of Equatorial Guinea's Vice President.
• ChevroncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026Chevron is the operator of the Yoyo-Yolanda cross-border gas field jointly developed by Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. The Unitisation Agreement was co-signed by GEPETROL for EG and SNH for Cameroon along with Chevron on 3 February 2026 in Malabo. The field is estimated at 2.5 trillion cubic feet.
• Perenco CamerooncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNH holds a 20% stake in Perenco Cameroon and operates jointly through the Sanaga South Association for gas production and supply to the Kribi power plant. Perenco is a key partner in upstream exploration/production and the LNG export project.
• Addax Petroleum Cameroon Company (APCC/APCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNH holds a 20% stake in Addax Petroleum Cameroon Company (a Sinopec subsidiary). Addax contributes approximately 30% of Cameroon's national crude oil production, has invested USD 528.73 million in the Iroko and Mokoko Abana blocks, and has been converting Establishment Agreements into Production Sharing Contracts under the 2019 Petroleum Code.
• GolarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGolar is SNH's partner in the Hilli Episeyo floating LNG project — the world's first floating natural gas liquefaction plant built from an LNG carrier conversion, located off Kribi. LNG production capacity is 1.4 million tonnes per year.
• Ariana Energy / RCG ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAriana Energy and the RCG Consortium are partners in the CSTAR project company alongside SNH and TRADEX. CSTAR is developing a 30,000 bbl/day refinery and strategic petroleum reserves depot at Mboro, Kribi, with a total estimated cost of USD 621.96 million. Ariana Energy representatives attend CSTAR Board meetings.
• KEDA Ceramics LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKEDA, a Chinese ceramics manufacturer, operates a ceramic tile factory near Kribi supplied with natural gas by SNH under a 20-year contract requiring 3.5 to 6.5 million cubic feet of gas daily. SNH signed gas supply contracts with Perenco and KEDA in September 2022. The KEDA plant has capacity of 50,000 square metres of tiles per day.
• Sinopec (via Addax Petroleum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSinopec operates in Cameroon through its Addax Petroleum subsidiary, in which SNH holds a 20% stake. New CEO Xing Qinghe was officially welcomed at SNH on 9 October 2025. Sinopec has invested USD 528.73 million in Cameroon's Iroko and Mokoko Abana blocks.
• Gaz du CameroonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNH and Gaz du Cameroon form the Logbaba Association, producing natural gas from the Logbaba field near Douala to supply industries in the Bassa and Bonaberi areas with clean energy. This partnership enables gas distribution network extension to connect additional industrial customers.
• Other Exploration PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNH works with additional partners including Grynberg, Noble Energy, Bowleven, Victoria Oil & Gas, New Age, Tower Resources, Afex, and Yan Chang in exploration and production activities across Cameroon's sedimentary basins (Rio Del Rey, Douala/Kribi-Campo, Logone Birni, etc.).
• TRADEX S.A.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerTRADEX, 54%-owned by SNH, is a trading and crude oil export company. It has expanded to operate filling stations in Cameroon and is extending into Chad, CAR, Equatorial Guinea, and DRC. TRADEX is a co-founder of the CSTAR project company and officially commissioned a service station in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in February 2026.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Sonatrach: Algeria's state oil and gas giant operating across the full upstream-to-downstream value chain including LNG exports and gas-to-power. Comparable in mandate and integrated structure but at substantially greater scale.
• NNPC Limited: Nigeria's national oil company with state-representative mandate, upstream equity participation, gas infrastructure and refining interests. Comparable in NOC mandate and integrated portfolio, but at materially larger scale.

Others

• Golar LNG: FLNG vessel owner and SNH's partner on Hilli Episeyo, the world's first converted-carrier floating LNG. Directly comparable as an adjacent infrastructure and technology provider in floating LNG, which is SNH's flagship export modality.
• Perenco: Independent E&P operator and SNH's core partner in Sanaga South, Hilli Episeyo LNG and Logbaba. Relevant as the operational partner whose decisions drive a large share of SNH-linked production and gas volumes.

Direct peers

• Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC): Ghana's NOC managing state upstream interests, gas processing infrastructure (Atuabo), LNG imports and the Sankofa gas project. Directly comparable as a West African NOC balancing upstream equity, gas infrastructure and gas-to-power supply.
• GEPETROL: Equatorial Guinea's national hydrocarbons company and SNH's actual counterparty in the Yoyo-Yolanda cross-border unitisation. Directly comparable as a small Central African NOC managing state upstream participation and gas export strategy.
• Sonangol: Angola's NOC and one of Africa's largest, with upstream state-representative mandate, equity stakes in producing blocks, gas and LNG development. Comparable to SNH on mandate, governance structure and operational portfolio, though at substantially greater scale.
• Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (SNPC): Congo-Brazzaville's national oil company with an identical state-representative mandate, managing state upstream interests, gas development and minority stakes in IOC-operated blocks. Highly comparable structure to SNH in a neighbouring Central African jurisdiction.
• Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH): Mozambique's NOC with a gas-heavy portfolio (Rovuma Basin, Coral South LNG interests). Comparable to SNH on emerging-market gas monetisation, LNG project participation, and state upstream management mandate.
• Société des Pétroles du Sénégal (PETROSEN): Senegal's national oil and gas company managing state upstream interests, gas-to-power development, and a growing LNG project (Sangomar). Similar mandate, scale and emerging-market NOC profile to SNH.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/societe-nationale-des-hydrocarbures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures