Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced on Monday that they would put up for auction 27 oil and three gas fields, ignoring calls from environmentalist Greenpeace.
Congo’s Oil Minister Didier Bodembo said that of the 32 oil fields that the authorities intended to put up for auction, it was ultimately decided on July 28 to open the doors to bids for development rights for 27 fields, including two fields that the government recently rehabilitated. Israeli businessman Dan Gertler.
The Minister added that in addition to these oil fields, the Congolese authorities decided to apply for the development of three gas fields.
While three gas fields are located in Lake Kivu, 27 oil fields are distributed as follows: three fields in the coastal basin, nine in the central basin, 11 in Tanganyika and four in Albertina.
Greenpeace has urged the Congolese government to conserve the biodiversity of the central basin and not to touch the huge amount of carbon stored in it.
The basin holds about 30 gigatons of carbon, the equivalent of three years of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the environmental organization.
But the Congolese government stressed that its decision does not involve any environmental risks and is based on scientific research.
Source: AFP.