- President Abinader signed the hydrocarbons bill into law
- The Apache company explored the basins in San Pedro de Macorís between 2020 and 2024
After the enactment of Law 37-25 on hydrocarbons, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Joel Santos, announced that they are working to hold business network meetings in 2026 on oil, to include tenders for oil exploration blocks in the Dominican Republic.
Santos said that preliminary geological studies have already been carried out in this regard and that the plan is aligned with the National Development Strategy 2030 goals.
“We have already begun the technical and regulatory work to organize a round of meetings to identify actors interested in and committed to the responsible development of our hydrocarbon resources. Law 37-25 offers us the legal framework to attract that investment and ensure that the benefits reach the Dominican people,” Santos said.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines has identified six key areas for hydrocarbon exploration: Enriquillo, Azua, San Juan, San Pedro (offshore), Ocoa (offshore) and Cibao Oriental.
The initiative means that, in addition to local companies, foreign companies will have the same rights through national or foreign legal entities, of a private, public, or mixed nature.”
If a foreign company obtains the right to operate, it must have Dominican shareholders who hold a minimum participation of 15% of the shares of that legal entity.
First agreement
In 2019, a round of oil talks was held and the company Apache Dominican Republic Corporation LDC, a subsidiary of the U.S. Apache Corporation, won the tender to explore gas blocks in the San Pedro de Macorís basin.
It was the only company interested in one of the 14 exploration blocks that were offered. This is the SP2 block, which covers an area of 2,535 square kilometers and a depth between 800 and 1,400 meters.
Explorations began in 2020, but in 2024 the company withdrew to Guayana, where it found an oil well.
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