Guyana gives Dominican Republic six months to launch Berbice oil project

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has six months to begin oil and gas exploration in Guyana’s Berbice onshore block, with field operations expected to start before the end of 2026, according to Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat.

The 3,300-square-kilometer Berbice block is part of a bilateral energy partnership between the Dominican Republic and Guyana. Under the agreement, the Dominican Petroleum Refinery (Refidomsa) will hold a 10% stake in the project without making an initial capital investment. If commercially viable oil or natural gas reserves are discovered, the Dominican Republic will receive preferential access to the hydrocarbons.

The project stems from a 2023 energy cooperation agreement between the two countries and forms part of broader plans to strengthen regional energy security. In addition to oil and gas exploration, the partnership includes evaluating future investments such as an oil refinery, a petrochemical complex and other strategic energy initiatives.