(WO) – Tanzania has awarded four petroleum exploration licenses to the state-owned Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC). The awards came a day after the government announced a gas discovery at the Mnazi Bay field in Mtwara Region. Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi attended the signing on Oct. 28. The licenses cover Eyasi-Wembere, Lindi-Mtwara, West Songo Songo and Mnazi Bay North.
The discovery was made at the Kasa-1X ST2 exploration well, drilled by operator Maurel & Prom with TPDC. The government estimates it at 223 Bcf. Maurel & Prom gives a preliminary estimate of about 200 Bcf, subject to further evaluation. Energy Minister Juma Zuberi Homera said the well is expected to produce about 30 MMcfd for at least 10 years. According to Maurel & Prom, Mnazi Bay’s output reached about 130 MMcfd in October. Maurel & Prom holds 60% of the Mnazi Bay venture, and TPDC holds 40%, up from 20% in 2024.
Homera said more than 80% of Mnazi Bay’s gas goes to power generation at Tanzania Electric Supply Company plants in Mtwara and Dar es Salaam. The government is also building a 35-km (22-mi) pipeline from the Ntorya gas field to the Madimba processing facility, which is reported to be 74% complete.
Tanzania’s discovered gas resources total about 57.5 Tcf: 47.1 Tcf offshore and 10.4 Tcf onshore. TPDC is in talks with four prospective investors about small-scale LNG projects, three of them in Mtwara Region.
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