Dr Amy Lehman to address DRC’s high risk, high reward moment at iPAD DRC Oil & Gas Forum

KINSHASA, Congo, The DR of - Aug. 20, 2014 - PRLog -- “This is a very high risk, potentially high reward moment for the DRC,” says Dr Amy G. Lehman, founder and CEO of the Lake Tanganyika Floating Health Clinic (LTFHC), about the effects of the burgeoning oil and gas industry in the country.

During the upcoming iPAD DRC Oil & Gas Forum in Kinshasa from 10-11 September, Dr Lehman will present a white paper on “From Curse to Cure: a special report on the impact of energy exploration and production in the Lake Tanganyika Basin”, as part of discussions on the infrastructural and environmental challenges and concerns surrounding the hydrocarbons sector.
Says Dr Lehman: “I believe that intelligent, strategic, future-focused cross-sectoral partnerships will be key drivers towards the successful development of the petroleum sector in DRC. The purpose of our white paper is to bring to the fore all of the most crucial issues that can either lead to more positive, risk-mitigated, benefits maximized outcomes or can point to potentially irreversible and devastating consequences if not appropriately managed.”

Working towards a fully operational floating hospital
The Lake Tanganyika Floating Health Clinic has been helping the communities that live around the lake basin for over five years. Dr Lehman: “working toward our ultimate goal of a fully operational floating regional hospital, the LTFHC has already served hundreds of thousands of Congolese and Tanzanians by completing a number of outreach programs focused on the most urgent local challenges. Water-based healthcare is not only the fastest and most efficient option in this region, it is also extremely cost effective: being mobile, the clinic has the capacity to serve many lakeside communities in all four riparian countries.”

She continues: “I see the extractive industry as a crucial partner in countries like the DRC where a long-term plan is essential. I see a need for much closer and strategic collaboration between these companies, governments, and civil society/NGOs to create win-win-win circumstances that are durable as well as evolve over time as circumstance change and hopefully improve.”

The DRC is considered to hold considerable crude oil reserves. These are mainly located in Bas-Congo, along its Atlantic Ocean coastline, the Central Basin, the Albertine Graben and the Tanganyika Graben.

High-level government and industry buy-in
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Minister of Hydrocarbons, HE Crispin Atama Tabe, is expected to open the iPAD DRC Oil & Gas Forum, heading up a high-level line-up of government and industry expert speakers at the event.

Industry stalwarts Perenco Rep and Mico, Chevron, Baker Hughes, Clarke Energy, Schlumberger and Cohydro have also confirmed their presence at the forum.

The event is organised by Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd in the UK.

Event dates and venue:
Conference:  10-11 September 2014
Venue: Kempinski Fleuve Congo Hotel, 119 Boulevard Tshatshi, Kinshasa Gombe

Website:  http://www.ipad-oilgas.com/

Social media:
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/iPAD_oilgas
LinkedIN: iPAD DRC Oil and Gas Forum

Contact:
Communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone :  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  annemarie.roodbol@spintelligent.com