Dominican Republic Fortifies Hydrocarbon Sector with Key 2025 Advances

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic's hydrocarbon sector significantly strengthened its technical, regulatory, and scientific foundations in 2025, establishing a clearer path for more precise and transparent exploration aligned with international standards, the Ministry of Energy and Mines announced.

Minister Joel Santos indicated the government enacted Law 37-25 on Hydrocarbons during the year. This legislation updates the previous framework, which had been in place since 1956.

“This legislation harmonizes hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation with the Constitution and the current challenges of the energy sector,” Santos stated. He added that it also establishes competitive conditions to attract both domestic and international investment, requiring minimum Dominican capital participation in projects.

Santos noted the country also enhanced its scientific infrastructure with the completion of a national gravimetric dosing campaign. Conducted between December 2024 and May 2025, the project incorporated over 600 new gravity measurements.

This initiative improved gravimetric model resolution and produced an updated Bouguer anomaly map, a crucial tool for identifying potential underground oil structures and reducing exploratory uncertainty.

The Minister highlighted specialized training for human capital through an international gravimetry course-workshop. Organized by the Ministry of Energy and Mines in collaboration with regional organizations and international experts, the event gathered specialists from six Latin American countries.

Participants updated their knowledge on gravity measurements, subsurface density analysis, and geophysical interpretation, all fundamental tools for hydrocarbon exploration.

Exploration

Regarding exploration, Santos pointed to a shared production agreement signed with the Global Min consortium. This agreement, a result of the First Oil Round, grants 11 years of exploration rights in the Cibao basin's CB1 and CB2 blocks.

Under this model, the private sector handles investment, technology, and operational execution, without committing state fiscal resources.

Further advancements include the findings of a Geochemical Study of Terrestrial Sedimentary Basins and Oil Seepages. International firm Geolog Technologies prepared this report with support from national technicians.

The study confirmed favorable geological conditions for petroleum systems in various regions, particularly in the Cibao and Southern basins. It provides a clearer map of the nation's hydrocarbon potential, though it does not imply immediate commercial reserves.

In economic terms, Santos reported a 5.5% year-on-year reduction in the value of fuel imports between January and November 2025. This decrease, observed during the third quarter, reflects improved efficiency and management within the energy sector.

The minister emphasized that the strategic projects, specialized studies, and human capital development undertaken from January to November 2025 strengthened the country's technical, scientific, and regulatory capacity.

He affirmed these achievements better position the Dominican Republic to attract investment, mitigate exploration risks, and pursue responsible development of its hydrocarbon sector. The Ministry of Energy and Mines concluded 2025 by solidifying an approach grounded in robust scientific information, institutional strengthening, and transparency—key pillars for the sustainable growth of the national energy sector.