CAPITAL: KINSHASA
MONETARY UNIT: ZAIRES
REFINING CAPACITY: 15,000 B/CD
OIL PRODUCTION: 25,000 B/D
OIL RESERVES: 187 MILLION BBL
GAS RESERVES: 35 BCF

Seven offshore fields operated by a Chevron unit averaged 17,650 b/d during 2000, while six onshore fields operated by TotalFinaElf averaged above 6,000 b/d.

As 2000 began, premerger Chevron told of plans to spend $75 million during 3 years to maintain production and cut costs. Chevron had operated in the country since 1959.

A multiyear drilling program to have started in early 2000 was to include a combination of new development wells in existing producing fields and delineation wells to increase production and reserves.

Chevron projected production rates at more than 20,000 b/d later in 2000 and more than 21,000 b/d in 2002. Interests were Chevron 50%, Teikoku 32.28%, and Unocal Congo 17.72%.

PanAfrican Energy Corp., St. Helier, Jersey, in late 1999 was to have acquired from a Shell unit a 45% stake in three concessions that contain the six TotalFinaElf fields: Kifuku, Kinkasi, Liawenda, Makelekese, Muanda, and Tsiende.

In late 2000 PanAfrican was to transfer to equity fund AIG African Infrastructure Fund LLC and financial services group RMB Resources Ltd. the rights to purchase its Congo interests once acquired from TotalFinaElf in return for AIG and RMB funding PanAfrican's operations in Gabon and Tanzania.

PanAfrican said more than 900 million bbl of original light oil in place were identified on the concessions, which had produced 44 million bbl since 1980. Reserves were considered to be 35 million bbl.

Some 127 wells were producing, and PanAfrican said TotalFinaElf was completing the $28 million first phase of a multiyear redevelopment program in late 1999. The concessions extend until 2029-34.