PURA boosts public awareness on petroleum, gas projects

MTWARA: The Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) has said that educating the public about upcoming projects is among the key aspects to be considered to ensure the successful implementation of such projects.

PURA made the statement on October 15, 2025, at Ruvula Village in Mtwara Region during a public awareness session on a natural gas drilling project involving three wells to be implemented in the Mnazi Bay block located in the region.

Speaking during the session, PURA’s Senior Geologist, Mr Ebeneza Mollel, said that apart from overseeing professional and technical activities, the Authority also ensures that communities are well informed about the projects before implementation begins.

“As an Authority, we make sure that communities living within or around areas where petroleum upstream projects are being implemented are fully involved and given comprehensive awareness about the project,” said Mr Mollel.

In addition, Mr Mollel said that PURA closely monitors all stages of the natural gas well drilling project and reminds implementers of the importance of educating the public about the project.

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The awareness exercise for the natural gas drilling project in the Mnazi Bay block is being conducted in three villages of Ruvula, Msimbati, and Mtandi—located in Msimbati Ward, Mtwara Region.

The project, which involves the drilling of two production wells and one exploration well, is expected to cost over USD 80.2 million and is being implemented by Maurel et Prom Tanzania in collaboration with Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation TPDC.

Implementation of the project is expected to begin in December 2025, and among other outcomes, it will increase natural gas production by an average of 30 million cubic feet per day.

This increase will help ensure the availability of natural gas for various uses, including power generation, industrial operations, households, and transportation (vehicles and three-wheelers).