HRW Exposes Health Risks from Perenco Oil Operations in DRC
HRW report reveals Perenco's oil production endangers health and environment in DRC.
Why it matters: Legal professionals in environmental, human rights, and international law should track potential regulatory and litigation responses to these pollution risks and transparency gaps.
- Perenco pumps about 19,500 barrels of oil daily from onshore and offshore sites near Muanda along DRC’s Atlantic coast.
- Gas flaring occurs at five sites close to residential areas, with one site less than 80 meters from homes.
- Residents report chest pain, nausea, headaches, and dizziness linked to pollution from oil operations.
- A government-commissioned environmental audit from December 2024 remains unpublished as of July 2026.
- Perenco denies causing pollution, citing investments in prevention and local development.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a report highlighting serious health and environmental risks associated with Perenco’s oil operations near Muanda in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Perenco, the sole oil producer in the DRC, extracts roughly 19,500 barrels daily from facilities along the country’s 37-kilometer Atlantic coastline. The company’s activities include gas flaring at five sites located dangerously close to residential communities, with one site situated less than 80 meters away from homes, according to HRW.
Residents living nearby have reported health issues such as chest pain, headaches, nausea, and dizziness, which they attribute to air pollution stemming from gas flaring and waste burning at these sites. Independent environmental studies from 2013 and 2025 confirm contamination involving heavy metals and hydrocarbons, underscoring the toxic impact on local people and ecosystems.
The Congolese government commissioned an environmental audit of Perenco’s operations in December 2024. However, nearly two years later, no public report or findings have been released, raising concerns about transparency and accountability. Agathe Bounfour, a Human Rights Watch Senior Fossil Fuel Researcher, emphasized that "residents of nearby communities have a right to know the extent of pollution in their environment and the risks to their health." Lewis Mudge, HRW’s Central Africa Director, called on authorities to "acknowledge the threat to people’s health, immediately report on pollution levels, and act to reduce population exposure."
Perenco denies that its operations cause environmental pollution or health problems, asserting it invests in pollution prevention and local development projects. Legal professionals involved in international and environmental law should closely monitor these developments, which may lead to regulatory scrutiny or litigation regarding corporate environmental responsibility and human rights protection.
By the numbers:
- 19,500 barrels per day — daily oil production by Perenco around Muanda.
- 5 gas flaring sites — locations near residential areas from January 2025 to March 2026.
- Less than 80 meters — distance of one gas flaring site from homes.
- December 2024 — date when environmental audit commissioned; no findings released as of July 2026.
Yes, but: Perenco disputes pollution claims, citing investments in environmental prevention and community development as countermeasures.
What's next: Watch for the Congolese government’s publication of the environmental audit findings and possible regulatory or legal reactions to HRW's report.