THE Democratic Republic of Congo has awarded licences to three natural gas blocks in Lake Kivu on its eastern border, with some production expected to start as early as next year, the hydrocarbons ministry said. The Makelele block was awarded to RED, a local subsidiary of United States-based Symbion Power, the ministry said. The Idjwi block went to another U.S. company, Winds Exploration and Production LLC. The Lwandjofu block was won by Canada-based Alfajiri Energy. The production-sharing contracts will be signed within 15 days, hydrocarbons minister Didier Budimbu told Reuters. He said he hoped the Symbion Power block would begin…