The Dominican Republic has launched a new research initiative with the University of Texas at Austin to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of the country’s onshore and offshore sedimentary basins, a project aimed at expanding geological knowledge and supporting future energy exploration and investment.
The study, titled “Regional Assessment of Energy Potential in Onshore and Offshore Sedimentary Basins of the Dominican Republic and the Adjacent Caribbean Sea,” is being carried out by the Ministry of Energy and Mines in partnership with the Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG), a research institution within the University of Texas. The project officially began on Sunday and is scheduled to continue through March 2027.
Project Aims to Strengthen Energy Security
Joel Santos, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Energy and Mines, described the initiative as an important step toward improving the country’s energy security while expanding scientific knowledge of its natural resources.
According to Santos, the research will generate updated geological data that will help authorities better assess the nation’s oil and natural gas potential, while also supporting future decisions on exploration and investment.
“This project is very important for the Dominican Republic because of what it represents for energy security, not only in terms of oil and gas, but also critical minerals such as rare earth elements,” the minister said.
He added that comprehensive scientific information will allow the country to better identify strategic resources and improve its competitiveness in attracting foreign investment to the energy sector.
Technical Cooperation With the University of Texas
The University of Texas delegation is led by Mark Shuster, Director of the Energy Research Division at the Bureau of Economic Geology. During the project’s launch, Shuster highlighted the institution’s interest in collaborating with the Dominican Republic and sharing its expertise in energy resource evaluation.
He said the partnership will promote the exchange of scientific knowledge, geological information, and technical assistance between both institutions. The Bureau of Economic Geology, the university’s oldest research unit, conducts studies in petroleum, natural gas, geothermal resources, minerals, seismology, geological monitoring, impact research, and emerging energy sources such as hydrogen.
Rare Earth Exploration Also Featured
As part of the technical agenda, the University of Texas mission also received updates on the Dominican government’s advanced exploration program for rare earth minerals in the southwestern province of Pedernales. The initiative is being carried out by the Ministry of Energy and Mines in collaboration with the Dominican Mining Company (Emidom) to determine the country’s potential reserves of these strategic minerals.
The meeting also included Vice Ministers Noel Báez and Giovanni Bloise, Director General of Mining Rolando Muñoz, National Geological Survey Director Edwin García Coco, BEG Project Director Dallas Dulap, and researchers Timothy Paul and Brent Elliot.
Officials said the project is expected to provide a stronger scientific foundation for future exploration strategies while helping the Dominican Republic better understand the value of its energy and mineral resources within an evolving global energy landscape.