Congo’s disappearing discovery
The Republic of Congo’s announcement of a major discovery appears to be targeted more at extorting EU environmentalists and multilateral lenders than attracting IOCs
One year ago, the cash-strapped Republic of Congo announced it had discovered enough oil in its jungle interior to quadruple daily production. A find of this scale would transform the finances of the central African country (also known as Congo-Brazzaville) and strengthen ruler Denis Sassou Nguesso’s grip on power in the one-party state ahead of presidential pseudo-elections in 2021. Yet as the discovery’s anniversary approaches, scant information has been forthcoming and the government’s keenness to hype a seemingly bogus find underscores the waning credibility of Sassou’s endemically corrupt administration. “Some of the figures published in 2019 about this oil ‘discovery’ were totally ab
Also in this section
17 February 2026
The 25th WPC Energy Congress, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 26–30 April 2026, will bring together leaders from the political, industrial, financial and technology sectors under the unifying theme “Pathways to an Energy Future for All”
17 February 2026
Siemens Energy has been active in the Kingdom for nearly a century, evolving over that time from a project-based foreign supplier to a locally operating multi-national company with its own domestic supply chain and workforce
17 February 2026
Eni’s chief operating officer for global natural resources, Guido Brusco, takes stock of the company’s key achievements over the past year, and what differentiates its strategy from those of its peers in the LNG sector and beyond
16 February 2026
As the third wave of global LNG arrives, Wood Mackenzie’s director for Europe gas and LNG, Tom Marzec-Manser, discusses with Petroleum Economist the outlook for Europe’s gas market in 2026
