Tanzania awards four oil licences to TPDC
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Jornal Tropical
Tanzania has awarded four oil exploration licences to the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation after the announced discovery of 223 billion cubic feet of gas at Mnazi Bay. The programme is intended to boost national production and the sector’s economic benefits, according to Jornal Tropical.
The Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), Tanzania’s state-owned company, has obtained four oil exploration licences, whose signing was witnessed by Vice-President Deogratius Ndejembi on 28 October in Dar es Salaam, reports Jornal Tropical. The licences cover the Eyasi-Wembere, Lindi-Mtwara, West Songo Songo and Mnazi Bay North areas.
Energy Minister Juma Zuberi Homera presented the award as a means of increasing national participation in the oil industry and the economic benefits of the country’s resources, according to Jornal Tropical. The TPDC is also expected to develop local technical skills through the programme.
The signing came the day after the Tanzanian government announced the discovery of an estimated 223 billion cubic feet of gas at Mnazi Bay. The Kasa-1X ST2 well was drilled by the TPDC with French energy company Maurel & Prom. The company gave a preliminary estimate of about 200 billion cubic feet, which remains subject to technical assessment. The gas discovery at Mnazi Bay was announced on 27 October.
The well could produce about 30 million cubic feet of gas per day for at least 10 years, Homera said. Two other development wells, MB-5 and MS-2, have increased production by more than 65 million cubic feet per day. Maurel & Prom reported production of about 130 million cubic feet per day at Mnazi Bay in October.
