By: Julius Konton
Liberia Government Dismisses Buchanan ‘Crude Oil Discovery’ After International Tests, Orders Fresh Investigations
By: Julius Konton
Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, R. Mantenokay Tingban , has moved to calm growing public speculation over an alleged crude oil discovery in the port city of Buchanan, telling lawmakers that comprehensive scientific investigations have found no evidence of naturally occurring petroleum.
Appearing before Liberia’s House of Representatives on Tuesday, Minister Tingban clarified that samples taken from the site were tested by multiple internationally accredited laboratories across Africa and Europe, all of which concluded that the substance was contaminated waste oil mixed with polluted soil, rather than crude oil.
The hearing follows weeks of heightened public excitement and speculation after reports surfaced suggesting a possible petroleum find in Buchanan, a strategic coastal city about 110 kilometers southeast of Liberia.
Minister Tingban disclosed that independent laboratory examinations were conducted by global testing institutions, alongside laboratories in Ghana and the Czech Republic.
“These tests found that the sample lacked the physical and chemical characteristics of naturally occurring crude oil,” Tingban told lawmakers.
According to the findings, the substance showed irregular hydrocarbon patterns and failed key simulated distillation benchmarks commonly used to verify petroleum deposits.
Technical analyses of viscosity, sulfur content, and hydrocarbon composition reportedly revealed contamination consistent with industrial waste oil.
The joint assessment concluded that there was no immediate geological evidence of a commercial oil reservoir.
A History of Oil Exploration and High Expectations
Liberia has spent more than two decades pursuing offshore oil discoveries, particularly in rural areas where geologists have long suggested the possibility of hydrocarbon systems similar to neighboring Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Since the early 2000s, Liberia has signed more than 30 offshore petroleum contracts, but commercial production has yet to materialize.
The country’s petroleum sector has attracted over US$1 billion in exploration commitments, according to historical industry estimates.
Neighboring Ghana’s 2007 transformed its economy, boosting crude production to over 170,000 barrels per day at peak levels. Many Liberians have hoped for a similar breakthrough.
NOCAL Pushes Back
However, the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) has challenged the government’s interpretation.
While acknowledging the lab results, NOCAL argues that the sample may represent heavily biodegraded crude oil, with environmental contamination potentially masking some of its original properties.
The company insists that the material does not match refined petroleum products and has called for deeper geochemical and geological investigations.
That disagreement has created fresh debate within Liberia’s energy sector, with analysts warning against premature conclusions in either direction.
Fresh Tests in Roberts Basin
Minister Tingban said the government has now authorized further exploration within the Roberts Basin, one of Liberia’s most geologically promising onshore and offshore sedimentary zones.
NOCAL will lead the additional scientific work, including advanced geochemical fingerprinting and subsurface assessments, before submitting findings to the Ministry, the petroleum regulator, and environmental authorities.
A final consolidated report will eventually be submitted to the President for policy direction.
The controversy underscores Liberia’s long-standing resource dilemma: balancing national hope for transformative oil wealth with scientific caution and environmental safeguards.
For a country where mining contributes nearly 14% of GDP and where imported fuel costs continue to strain foreign reserves, a genuine oil discovery would be economically significant.
But officials say national decisions must be based on evidence not speculation.
“Any future action will be guided strictly by science, transparency, and responsible resource management,” Minister Tingban emphasized.
