Liberia: Communities Elated Over Reported Oil Discovery

In November last year, excitement swept through Beon and neighboring towns in Grand Bassa County after residents discovered a thick, black substance floating on the river--a find many locally believe to be crude oil.

Simeon, the town chief of Beon's Town, said the discovery first occurred on November 5, 2025, by a woman who had traveled from a neighboring town to set fishing baskets. While she noticed an unusual substance floating on the surface of the water, she did not immediately report it, as she was unsure of what she had seen.

The discovery only became public knowledge after a strong odor began to drift toward the nearby road, prompting Chief Simeon and other community members to investigate the source of the smell. Upon reaching the water, they discovered a thick, oily substance covering the surface.

The news quickly spread, drawing curious residents from Compound One, Compound Two, and other surrounding communities. According to the chief, the volume of the substance was significant. They wasted no time, according to Simone, the town chief. "We started filling gallons," he said.

Following the initial discovery, representatives from the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) arrived on the scene to investigate. The team collected samples of the substance to undergo formal laboratory analysis. According to community members, initial reports circulating in the newspapers following this visit suggested that the substance was indeed crude oil.

Later, the team returned to the community to collect additional samples for further verification. Before departing, the officials reportedly left a sum of $150 USD with the local leadership, though the specific purpose of the payment was not immediately clarified as the community continues to wait for the final, official results from the government.

NOCAL was contacted via email on March 20, 2026. Cllr. Edwina Edjerah Barchue, Legal Director and Chief of Staff to the President and CEO of NOCAL, replied: "I am forwarding your request to the appropriate team for follow-up."

Despite subsequent emails and in-person visits to NOCAL's office, no further response has been received from Cllr. Barchue.

After the discovery, the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA), NOCAL, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Mines and Energy visited the area. In a statement issued on December 4, 2025, the LPRA disclosed that, in line with its statutory mandate, a field assessment began on December 3. Initial updates have already been submitted to relevant stakeholders and to the Office of the President. A consolidated technical report and an official public statement will be released upon completion of the evaluation.

The Daily Observer reached out to LPRA for an update. The reporter was referred to the Ministry of Mines and Energy as the lead in the sector.

"We need answers."

The local leadership of Beon's Town is now calling on the government to provide a definitive answer regarding the discovery. Chief Simeon said that the community remains in a state of uncertainty, especially concerning the safety of their resources. He noted that the authorities have instructed locals to guard the area, yet this is the same water source the community relies on for drinking, raising urgent concerns about potential contamination and health risks.

Beyond the immediate oil investigation, residents are urging the government to address the long-standing lack of basic infrastructure in the area. The town currently operates without a high school or a functional hand pump for clean water, leaving many residents to rely on labor-intensive activities like burning charcoal for their livelihoods.

Community leaders are also advocating for long-term benefits should the oil find be officially confirmed. They are calling for investment in youth and the creation of job facilities, ensuring that the people of Beon's Town--who are directly affected by the discovery--are the primary beneficiaries of any future developments.

The Liberian government has launched a multi-agency investigation to verify the discovery of oil. Samples have been flown to international laboratories in Chad, Kenya, and Ghana to determine whether the find is indeed crude oil.

The discovery has sparked significant local interest, but officials are urging caution until scientific results are finalized.

A Multi-Agency Effort

The investigation is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Mines and Energy in coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oil Company of Liberia, and the Liberia Petroleum Refining Authority.

Charles Umehai, Deputy Minister for Energy at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, said that the government is taking a meticulous approach to verify if the oil is actually crude oil.

"We cannot determine because everything has to do with chemical analysis, so the laboratory analysis will confirm, yes, whether this is crude or not."

As the policy-making arm of the energy sector, the Ministry coordinates a multi-agency approach to technical analysis and quality control. According to Umehai, this collaborative effort involves the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), and the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA). Each of these entities has conducted rigorous international testing, utilizing specialized laboratories in Ghana, Kenya, and other foreign partners to ensure comprehensive oversight and accuracy for the sector.

"So with those testing and the further testing once those results are in the country, then definitely the information will be submitted first to our president, who will then make the final publication," he said.

Why Overseas Testing?

Despite the urgency of the situation, the testing process is hampered by a lack of specialized petroleum laboratories within Liberia. This has forced the government to bear the "huge financial cost" of sending samples to regional neighbors with more robust oil-testing infrastructure, such as the Republic of Chad.

Umehai noted that the scientific process requires time, and there is no shortcut to a definitive answer.

Managing Public Expectations

The government's primary concern remains the dissemination of factual information. Officials are wary of making premature declarations that could mislead the public or the energy market.

"So the message I want you to take as a journalist is to tell them that we need to inform them properly," the minister said. "We need to give them credible information. We don't want to give information that is not well beefed up with facts, so they should be patient; as time goes by, we will come up with credible results that will be a scientific report that will substantiate that yes, what we did out there is proven and is supported by facts."

This article originally appeared on Liberian Observer.