Tanzania celebrates first natural gas discovery in more than 10 years

Tanzania has discovered natural gas in the Mnazi Bay region, marking the first such find in over a decade. Energy Minister Juma Homera attended a ceremony to celebrate the announcement. The estimated 223 billion cubic feet (6.3 billion cubic meters) of gas is seen as a major milestone for Tanzania's small oil and gas sector. The new Kasa-1X ST2 well, jointly owned by the state-owned Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation and French oil firm Maurel & Prom, is expected to start production early next month.

This discovery aims to boost domestic supplies and provide reliable, clean, and affordable energy, especially as demand increases due to economic growth. Tanzania currently has 57.54 trillion cubic feet of existing natural gas reserves. Natural gas already accounts for nearly 80% of the country's electricity generation. In recent years, Tanzania has promoted the use of compressed natural gas for vehicles, with plants and filling stations mainly in Dar es Salaam.

Some locals have converted their vehicles to a dual-fuel system, taking advantage of cheaper natural gas prices compared to petrol. Tanzania's first natural gas discovery was made in 1974 on Songo Songo Island, followed by another in 1982 in Mnazi Bay. Commercialization began in 2004, leading to further exploration onshore and offshore. The largest discovery was 2.7 trillion cubic feet in 2016.