DRC Advances Gulf of Kabuno Gas Degassing Project to Enhance Regional Safety
During the 3rd Council of Ministers meeting on Friday, June 28, 2024, at the Cité de l’Union Africaine, Minister of Hydrocarbons Aimé Molendo Sakombi presented an update on the Gulf of Kabuno degassing project.
He reported that the industrial phase has commenced with the installation of three Industrial Stations, marking significant progress towards mitigating the risk of gas explosions in North Kivu and South Kivu.
Minister Sakombi noted that the first Industrial Station was successfully installed, with provisional acceptance on September 12, 2023.
However, he highlighted two key challenges: delayed funding for Industrial Stations 2 and 3 since October 2023 and the drifting of the Pilot Station, posing a potential collision risk with Industrial Station 1.
Given the project’s critical importance in securing Goma and its environs from potential gas explosions, Minister Sakombi urged the government to expedite the release of necessary funds to BCECO for completing the remaining stations and ensuring the maintenance of the Pilot Station.
“This action will resume construction operations for the two remaining stations and permanently eliminate the threat posed to our populations in North Kivu and their ecosystem,” emphasized Minister Sakombi.
He underscored that fulfilling this commitment aligns with President Félix Tshisekedi’s pledge to enhance security and attractiveness in the region.
The Gulf of Kabuno degassing project, initiated in 2016 and transitioned to its industrial phase in 2023, aims to prevent catastrophic events such as limnic eruptions caused by high concentrations of carbon dioxide in Lake Kivu’s deep waters.
The project, overseen by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and implemented by the French company Limnological Corporation, is crucial for safeguarding millions of lives in the event of a CO2 explosion.
