By John Ikani
In a move to expand energy access and strengthen international partnerships, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has awarded licenses for exploration of three natural gas blocks in Lake Kivu to companies from the United States and Canada.
DRC’s Hydrocarbons Ministry announced that US-based developer Symbion Power’s local subsidiary, RED, will be taking on the Makelele oil block, while the Idjwi block has been granted to another American company, Winds Exploration and Production LLC.
Canada-based Alfajiri Energy will be responsible for the Lwandjofu block.
The awarding of these licenses is part of a larger licensing round that include 27 onshore oil blocks, some of which are located in the Congo’s rainforest and peatlands, raising concerns about potential environmental impacts.
The development aligns with the DRC’s goal to expand energy access from 10% of the population to 32% by 2030.
The DRC hopes to tap into the vast amounts of methane underneath Lake Kivu to generate electricity, similar to its neighbor Rwanda.
The lake is estimated to hold enough methane to produce 700 Megawatts of electricity in the next 50 years, and it is projected that production could begin as early as 2024.
Production sharing contracts are set to be signed within the next 15 days, marking a significant step forward in the DRC’s relationship with the United States and Canada in the energy sector.
