Tanzania celebrates first natural gas discovery in more than 10 years

What the report says

Tanzania has announced a new natural gas discovery in the Mnazi Bay area in the country’s south, which BBC Africa says is the first such find in more than 10 years. Energy Minister Juma Homera marked the occasion at the Kasa-1X ST2 well, a site jointly owned by the state-run Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation and French energy company Maurel & Prom.

According to the BBC, the discovery is estimated at 223 billion cubic feet, and Homera described it as an important step for Tanzania’s small oil and gas sector. The well is expected to begin production early next month, with the gas intended to strengthen domestic supply. The report notes that Tanzania already has much larger proven reserves overall, and that natural gas has become a major part of the country’s electricity mix.

The government says the new output should help support reliable and affordable energy as demand rises alongside industrial growth. In recent years, Tanzania has also promoted compressed natural gas for vehicles, especially in Dar es Salaam, as part of a wider push toward lower-cost fuel options.

The BBC adds some context that Tanzania’s first gas discoveries were made in the 1970s and 1980s, with commercial development beginning later. This latest find may add momentum to exploration and investment in the sector.