PURA tasked in oil and gas exploration
MOROGORO: THE Deputy Minister for Energy, Ms Judith Kapinga, has instructed the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) to intensify efforts to attract more investment in oil and gas exploration, crucial for enhancing fuel availability.
Ms Kapinga issued these directives recently during the opening of the PURA Workers Council meeting in Morogoro.
“If you succeed in attracting investments in oil and gas exploration, the country could accelerate the discovery of these critical resources, significantly increasing the volume of gas,” she said.
The meeting focused on key issues related to the authority’s progress, including the budget for the upcoming 2025/2026 Financial Year.
Ms Kapinga also called on PURA to continue attracting investors for the upcoming Fifth Offshore Tanzania Licensing Round, set to launch next month.
She said that her directive for PURA to attract investment is in line with the government under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s vision to open the country to business development.
“The Ministry of Energy recognises the significance of the Fifth Offshore Tanzania Licensing Round in promoting the exploration of gas and oil blocks,” Ms Kapinga stated.
“Now is the time to take action.For too long, we have only discussed the discovery of 57.54 trillion cubic feet of gas.”
In a related development, Ms Kapinga commended PURA’s management for actively involving its staff in the planning and approval of the authority’s budget for the workers council.
She noted that this engagement allows employees to contribute their opinions on the institute’s development, which fosters a stronger sense of belonging.
On his part, PURA’s Director General, Engineer Charles Sangweni, announced that the Fifth Offshore Tanzania Licensing Round will be launched during the East African Petroleum Conference and Exhibition 2025 (EAPCE’25), which will take place in Dar es Salaam from March 5 to 7 this year.
Engineer Sangweni reaffirmed that PURA will continue to oversee and regulate the exploration, development and production of natural gas across various blocks in the country, ensuring active citizen engagement in petroleum upstream projects.
