(Bloomberg) -- Democratic Republic of Congo’s oil ministry once again delayed the deadline for bids on four oil blocks in its eastern region, including one that overlaps with a famous gorilla habitat.

Submissions for the blocks are now due between April and May, the ministry said in a post on Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter. The deadlines were previously October, November and December. 

The four eastern blocks up for tender include two on Lake Albert that adjoin blocks in Uganda owned by TotalEnergies SE and China National Offshore Oil Corp. Another block overlaps Virunga National Park, a home for endangered gorillas that was the subject of a 2014 Netflix documentary. 

The two Lake Albert blocks were previously owned by companies controlled by Israeli billionaire Dan Gertler.

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New deadlines: 

  • Block 1: Apr. 12
  • Block 2: Apr. 19
  • Block 4: Apr. 26
  • Block 5: May 3

The oil ministry will announce the bidders four days after submissions are due, according to the ministry posting.

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