The Democratic Republic of Congo is expanding its partnership with GeoSigmoid to strengthen the management and use of its oil and gas data. On July 1, 2026, the Ministry of Hydrocarbons signed a memorandum of understanding with the company in Kinshasa to provide technical petroleum and geoscience data covering the country’s main sedimentary basins.

The agreement was signed by Minister of State and Minister of Hydrocarbons Acacia Bandubola Mbongo and GeoSigmoid Chief Executive Officer Aoues Amares. According to the ministry, the data covers the Coastal Basin, the Central Cuvette Basin and the western branch of the East African Rift, including the Albertine Graben, the Lake Kivu Graben and the Tanganyika Graben.

According to the ministry, the data is expected to improve understanding of the country’s geology and petroleum potential. It is also intended to support government efforts to promote exploration and the future development of the DRC’s oil and gas resources.

GeoSigmoid is an international consulting firm based in Houston, Texas, specializing in petroleum engineering and geoscience data management. Its areas of expertise include reservoir characterization, structural interpretation, and the integration and interpretation of geological and geophysical data for the hydrocarbons industry.

Strategic Data

The memorandum builds on a longstanding relationship between GeoSigmoid and the Ministry of Hydrocarbons. During 2021 and 2022, the company participated in the digitalization, interpretation and enhancement of data related to the DRC’s sedimentary basins. In May 2022, it presented technical data to the government as part of preparations for an oil licensing round.

That work laid the technical groundwork for the launch in July 2022 of a licensing round covering 27 oil blocks and three gas blocks. At the time, the government presented the initiative as a step toward attracting investors for exploration and, where applicable, production activities.

Congolese authorities also said the blocks on offer did not overlap with protected areas. That position was challenged by several environmental organizations, which warned of potential risks associated with opening some environmentally sensitive basins, particularly the Central Cuvette Basin.

The new agreement with GeoSigmoid follows the inauguration of the country’s first national oil and gas data bank. Together, the two initiatives reflect the DRC’s efforts not only to establish the infrastructure needed to preserve petroleum data but also to build a comprehensive repository of technical information on its main sedimentary basins.

Reliable technical data can help inform public policy, support negotiations with investors and improve the promotion of the country’s oil and gas resources. In the hydrocarbons sector, access to high-quality data is a key factor in reducing geological uncertainty and attracting companies capable of financing exploration.

Potential Yet to Be Confirmed

Estimates presented in 2022 indicated significant potential across several basins. The Tanganyika Graben, in particular, was presented as potentially containing up to 7.25 billion barrels, with an estimated value of several hundred billion dollars. In the Coastal Basin, the Ndunda, Nganzi and Yema-Matama-Makanzi blocks were also associated with significant resource estimates.

The Central Cuvette Basin was likewise presented as one of the most promising basins, with an estimated potential of several billion barrels. However, these figures represent estimates of geological potential rather than proven reserves.

The distinction is important. Only further exploration, including additional geophysical studies, seismic surveys and drilling, can confirm the existence of commercially recoverable deposits. At this stage, the data primarily serves to improve the understanding of the basins and guide investment decisions.

The DRC is therefore continuing to strengthen its petroleum data infrastructure. Ultimately, the development of its sedimentary basins will depend on translating geological potential into commercially viable projects supported by reliable data, a stable legal and regulatory framework, and sustained investor interest, while avoiding any confusion between geological potential and proven reserves.

Ronsard Luabeya