By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has cancelled a licensing round for 27 oil blocks, a process which started in 2022, aiming to tap into the nation’s oil and gas potential.
According to a statement dated October 11, and posted on the official X handle of the ministry of hydrocarbons on Monday, the cancellation arose from multiple reasons, including late submissions, inappropriate or irregular offers, and a lack of competition.
“Given the above, I am obliged to declare the cancellation of the ongoing process,” hydrocarbons minister Aime Sakombi Molendo said.
He added that the process would be relaunched soon, without providing a specific timeline.
Congo in July 2022 announced that it would offer 27 oil blocks and three gas blocks in the licensing round which drew condemnation from environmental groups and some of Congo’s western partners.
Some blocks are located in parts of the world’s second-biggest rainforest, raising concern that drilling could release large amounts of carbon into the air, causing environmental dangers.
Authorities ignored the criticisms, arguing that it needed to tap its natural resources to generate revenue for development.
Heritage Times HT reports that Congo is a leading miner of copper, cobalt, gold and diamonds.
It has long aimed to bolster its oil and gas sector. The country is also believed to have sizeable oil and gas reserves, for which licensing process has faced controversy.
