The Democratic Republic of Congo Thursday launched a controversial auction of 30 oil and gas blocks, despite warnings that drilling in the country's rainforests and peatlands could be environmentally catastrophic.

Of the 27 oil blocks put up for auction in the capital Kinshasa, nine are in the huge "central basin" rainforest and peatlands region in the west of the country.

Environmental groups such as Greenpeace have warned that plans to drill in the peatlands of the central basin could release vast amounts of heat-trapping gas and amplify global warning.

Opening the auction on Thursday, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said that exploration work would be carried out "using the most modern technological means that protect the environment".

Any drilling will be subject to a plan designed to minimise harmful effects on ecosystems, he added.

Tshisekedi also said that oil and gas production will allow the DRC to reduce its reliance on mining -- to the benefit of the Congolese people.

About three-quarters of the DRC's population of 90 million people lives on under $1.9 a day, according to World Bank figures, despite the country's huge reserves of minerals gold, copper to cobalt.

Congolese Hydrocarbons Minister Didier Budimbu said Thursday the government would award licensing rights for the three gas blocks after a period of three months, and after a period six months for the 27 oil blocks.

"The companies selected will be called upon to sign production-sharing contracts with the Democratic Republic of Congo," he said.

The minister added that the DRC has the potential to produce 22 billion barrels of oil, as well as 66 billion cubic metres of natural gas.

Scientists have sounded several warnings about DR Congo's peatlands, which comprise an area about the size of England.

Across the entirety of the basin, around 30 billion tonnes of carbon are stored, researchers estimated in a study in Nature in 2016. The figure is roughly equivalent to three years' of global emission.

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