Kinshasa, 21 May, 2024 (The Energy Circle) - Perenco, through its subsidiary Muanda International Oil Company (MIOC), has made a significant oil discovery offshore the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) — the first such success in nearly thirty years. This discovery was achieved using the Nuada Self-Elevated Class 82 SD-C jack-up drilling rig, owned by Dixstone.

The Moke-East exploration well, positioned between the Lukami and Motoba fields in the coastal basin of the DRC, revealed a 24-foot net oil-bearing column. The discovery will undergo testing and completion in the coming weeks. This milestone marks a promising start for MIOC, which has already drilled two exploratory wells in 2024.

The Nuada rig has now begun drilling the first of twelve planned wells on the GCO field, part of MIOC’s broader development campaign to uncover additional resources in the region.

However, not all efforts yielded positive results. The second exploratory well, LUKS-A, aimed at a southern extension of the Pinda formation, was abandoned due to insufficient hydrocarbon potential.

Frédéric Kiepferle, Perenco’s DRC General Manager, expressed optimism about the Moke-East well's initial findings and highlighted the extensive preparation leading to this achievement. The Nuada rig will continue its operations on the GCO field for the next twelve months.