Alarm bells sound over Virunga oil project

Wildlife and conservation groups as well as the United Nations are seeking to block plans by UK listed oil companies to drill oil in the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The two Financial Times Stock Exchange-listed companies, Soco International and AIM-listed Dominion Petroleum were granted Block 5 of Congo’s eastern Albertine Graben last year.

Part of the block is in Africa’s oldest national park, a world heritage site famous for its endangered mountain gorillas.

But the two companies say the gorillas are not present in their block.

DRC law forbids oil exploration and production within a national park, although exceptions for scientific activities may be possible on application.

Park boundaries

José Endundo, the DRC environment minister, is quoted in Britain’s Financial Times newspaper as considering a request from 41 local MPs to redraw the boundaries of the park to enable the “rapid start” of oil exploration “at the heart” of the block.

The DRC produces 28,000 barrels a day from its western shoreline, but the discovery of large quantities of oil in neighbouring Uganda by Tullow Oil has encouraged oil companies to look for oil elsewhere in the East African region.

However, Unesco says oil activities are “inappropriate” and “not compatible” with world heritage status.

Conservation group WWF adds that Soco is acting with “total disregard” and calls the plans “pernicious,” claims denied by the company, who, according to the FT have received death threats over the issue.