DRC Demands Comprehensive Environmental and Operational Audits for Perenco Oil Company: What It Means for Sustainability

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is launching a year-long audit of the oil production activities of Perenco, a French-British multinational. The government wants to understand the true extent of the company’s oil production and its environmental impact.

To conduct this audit, the DRC’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons has hired a UK-based firm called Alex Stewart International (ASI). They will look into the technical operations of Perenco and verify the company’s reported production numbers. Another consultancy, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), will focus on evaluating the environmental implications of Perenco’s activities.

A spokesperson from Perenco stated that the company is cooperating with the Ministry during the audit process. Perenco is the only oil producer in the DRC, with operations in the coastal Muanda region. Since starting work there in 2001, the company has faced accusations of pollution, including oil spills and improper waste disposal, which have reportedly harmed local communities.

A commission set up by the DRC government in 2013 found that the soil in Muanda was significantly polluted. Following Perenco’s arrival, health centers reported a rise in respiratory illnesses. The commission recommended stricter enforcement of environmental laws and urged the DRC government to require Perenco to reassess its social and environmental impact.

Despite these findings, little has changed. In response, French NGOs, including Sherpa and Friends of the Earth, filed a lawsuit in November 2022 against Perenco in Paris, where the company is based. They are seeking to hold Perenco accountable for the environmental damage it has allegedly caused in the DRC.

Théa Bounfour from Sherpa highlighted that the DRC’s decision to audit Perenco shows a lack of transparency in the company’s operations, something they have been raising concerns about for years. Perenco acknowledged past environmental incidents but described them as minimal and localized. They attributed some incidents to “malicious acts” against their facilities.

While ASI will evaluate Perenco’s operations, they will also look at the company’s claimed production numbers, which have been set between 20,000 and 25,000 barrels per day. In recent years, Perenco stated that production levels varied from 15,000 to 25,000 barrels daily, averaging around 19,500. These fluctuations, according to the company, are influenced by investments and the natural decline of oil reserves.

The results of these audits are highly anticipated as they could shed light on the environmental and operational practices of Perenco in the DRC.

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