The House of Representatives has called for additional scientific testing into the reported discovery of crude oil in Grand Bassa County, citing a lack of conclusive evidence to confirm the presence of commercially recoverable petroleum resources.
The recommendation was made by the House Committee on Hydrocarbons following a hearing with officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) held at the Capitol earlier this week.
Presenting the committee's findings during Thursday's session, Committee Chairman Rep. Sam P. Jallah said lawmakers remain committed to ensuring that any claims of an oil discovery are independently verified and supported by credible scientific evidence.
According to testimony presented during the hearing, there is currently no confirmed crude oil recovery operation, commercially viable hydrocarbon discovery, or proven petroleum reserve in Grand Bassa County.
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Jallah said technical experts informed lawmakers that preliminary investigations and laboratory assessments have not produced sufficient evidence to classify the substance found as recoverable crude oil or confirm the existence of a petroleum reservoir.
Authorities also told the committee that samples collected from the site require further analysis to determine whether the material is linked to a naturally occurring hydrocarbon system, petroleum seepage, biodegraded crude oil, or another form of hydrocarbon contamination.
Experts recommended advanced geochemical fingerprinting, source-rock correlation, and reservoir characterization studies to establish the substance's origin, composition, and migration pathway.
The committee noted that while traces of hydrocarbons may indicate petroleum potential within the basin, such findings do not amount to a confirmed crude oil discovery.
Jallah emphasized that under internationally recognized industry standards, extensive exploration, appraisal drilling, reserve certification, and resource evaluation must be completed before any hydrocarbon accumulation can be classified as a commercially recoverable resource.
Lawmakers were further informed that no proven reserves, recoverable resources, or producing oil fields have been identified in Grand Bassa County.
As a result, the House is urging relevant institutions to continue geological, geophysical, and geochemical investigations to determine whether the reported occurrence is connected to a viable petroleum system capable of supporting future exploration and production.
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The House unanimously adopted the committee's findings and endorsed calls for further geochemical and laboratory analyses before any conclusions are reached regarding the reported discovery.
