THREE oil companies have expressed interest in snapping up three blocks on offer in the Democratic Republic of Congo's multi-phase licensing round. The DR Congo is Africa's second-largest country with significant hydrocarbon potential, although production - currently about 9000 barrels per day - to date has been confined almost exclusively to a littoral zone near Kinshasa. This is despite significant oil and gas potential in rift plays in the east of the country that have proven so successful in Uganda and Kenya. Supported by PVE Consulting, Trios Geoconsulting, Xcalibur, African Energy Partners and Clearlnvest, Kinshasa launched the licensing round last year and put 30 blocks on the table, attracting the ire of environmental campaigners who pointed out some acreage is in environmentally sensitive areas.
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