Tanzania: Three natural gas wells drilling to start soon

Mtwara: Preparations for the drilling of three natural gas wells in the Mnazi Bay Block in Mtwara Region are more than 90 percent complete, with the project expected to commence early this month.

This was disclosed by Engineer Felista Ndabita from the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) during an official visit by the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA), aimed at monitoring the implementation of the project, which is vital to the national economy.

Speaking on the progress achieved, Engineer Felista said that the drilling rig to be used for natural gas extraction has already been installed and is ready to begin the drilling of the wells.

“As you can see, the installation of the drilling rig is almost complete, and the necessary equipment and supporting infrastructure are in the final stages of completion. The expectation is to start drilling the wells on February 9, 2026,” Ndabita explained.

Meanwhile, PURA geologist Ebeneza Mollel said that PURA is closely monitoring the progress made and will continue to oversee the implementation of the project to ensure that the objectives of increasing production from the block are achieved.

Currently, the Mnazi Bay Block has a total of five wells producing natural gas at an average of 90 to 100 million cubic feet per day.

The anticipated increase in natural gas production following the drilling of these wells will enable the availability of more gas for various uses, including electricity generation, industrial use, household consumption, and vehicles.