The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has abruptly canceled its licensing round for 27 oil blocks, citing multiple procedural issues, according to a statement released by the hydrocarbons ministry on Monday.
The licensing round, initially unveiled in 2022, aimed to include 27 oil and three gas blocks but quickly became controversial due to environmental concerns.
The hydrocarbons minister, Aime Sakombi Molendo, confirmed the cancellation and indicated plans to restart the process, though no timeline has been provided.
Environmental groups and some of Congo’s western partners criticized the licensing round because some blocks are located in the world’s second-largest rainforest, potentially affecting climate goals. Despite the cancellation, Congo insists on developing its natural resources to boost its economy.
The licensing process has faced controversy.
In November 2023, Reuters reported that a Canadian start-up run from a private home was chosen for a technically complex project to extract methane from the deep waters of a volatile lake, despite the company not meeting the tender’s financial criteria.
