The National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) has launched a full technical investigation into a reported hydrocarbon seep discovered in Nevren Tan, Beon Town, Grand Bassa County an area located about 7.6 miles inland within the Roberts–Bassa Basin.
In an official update, NOCAL confirmed that it has already conducted two separate field missions to the site to perform seep reconnaissance, surface geological assessments, and baseline data collection. The incident has generated significant public interest amid long-standing hopes for commercially viable oil reserves on Liberian soil.
According to the Corporation, historical reconnaissance studies including airborne gravity and magnetic surveys conducted in 2010 by Simba Energy, the sole onshore reconnaissance license holder at the time identified similar seep occurrences in the same basin. These findings further suggest that the Roberts–Bassa Basin possesses geological indicators favorable for hydrocarbon potential.
Building on this earlier work, a team of NOCAL geoscientists, assisted by technicians from the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), spent two days carrying out intensive field observations, reviewing historical datasets, collecting soil samples, and mapping the geology of the area. Their preliminary assessment confirms that the location of the reported seep is consistent with the known structural and stratigraphic features of the basin.
NOCAL disclosed that all samples gathered from the seep zone have been sent for detailed laboratory geochemical analyses. These tests include API gravity determination used to classify whether the substance is sweet or sour as well as biomarker profiling and other diagnostic examinations aimed at determining the fluid type, its source characteristics, and possible migration pathways.
The Corporation emphasized that final conclusions will only be issued once the scientific evaluations are completed and all data have been fully integrated.
In the wake of growing public speculation, NOCAL urged government officials, media institutions, community leaders, and public figures to avoid circulating unverified information. The Corporation cautioned that premature or speculative statements could undermine both the credibility of the ongoing scientific process and the accuracy of the final results.
NOCAL reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and assured the Liberian public that it will provide a comprehensive and evidence-based update as soon as the investigation is concluded
