A Congolese company has announced an onshore oil discovery in the Cuvette Basin in northern Congo, which its promoters say could open up a large new area extending into Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic. The discovery was announced by Société Africaine de Recherche Pétrolière et Distribution (SARPD-Oil), founded by Willy Etoka, a business associate of presidential son Denis-Christel Sassou-Nguesso. While only one well has been drilled so far, its initial results were announced at an event at the Hotel Alima Palace in President Denis Sassou-Nguesso’s nearby home town of Oyo.