THE Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) has affirmed its commitment to continue with strategies to attract investors on the exploration and extraction to find more areas that can provide natural gas in the country and stimulate the economy.
This was revealed by the PURA Board Chairman, Mr Khalfani Ramadhani during the visit at Mnazi bay production facility and natural gas processing plant at Madimba in the region, so as to widen the scope of knowledge in petroleum industry, including exploration activities as part of their responsibilities.
“The government will continue to put a conducive environment in facilitating gas exploration in the country, and today we are pleased to see that the investment made brought fruits whereby the gas sector contributes about 60 per cent of the country’s electricity access,” he said.
On his part, PURA Director General, Eng Charles Sangweni, further explained that in the areas that volumes of natural gas have not been discovered was due to the cost and rapid change of technology.
“Our government has been more proactive to ensure that all projects related to the gas exploration activities go fast so that our people could benefit from the services,” he said.
Elaborating further, PURA Board committee visit in Mtwara involved three committees including the legal, technical and administration.
Oil and natural gas exploration activities in the country continue through international oil companies as well as TPDC, under the supervision of the PURA.
About 57.54 trillion cubic feet of natural gas have been discovered in the country.
For the area of Tanzania with almost 947,000 square kilometers, the places where there are indications of finding gas or oil is an area of 534,000 square kilometers, which is more than 56 per cent, while 30 per cent which is equal to 160,000 square kilometers that have been researched.
Eng Sangweni mentioned areas that were continuing with research activities including Mtwara Lindi, Tanga, Mkuranga, Ruvu, Singida and Lake Tanganyika.
The Board Vice Chairperson, Ms Beng’i Issa, called on the government to continue empower Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and PURA through funds and capacity building so that they can run the project on exploration, processing and production of gas and oil which contribute to the growth of the country’s economy.
She said during the visit they were pleased with the natural gas processing plant at Madimba running with Tanzanians who showed competency and efficiency.
TPDC Natural gas processing plant at Madimba, Plant Manager, Eng Sultan Pwaga said about five years they have been able to run plants efficiently and safely without endangering people’s lives, infrastructure and society and the ability to produce gas that contributes about 60 percent of electricity.
