Tanzania’s Energy Perspective: The making of a gas hub

The United Republic of Tanzania is one of the most politically stable countries in the world. The country has an outstanding democratic performance in Africa since the time of Julius Nyerere as the president, thereby positioning it as a beacon in Africa. Little wonder that the national anthem of the country is: “Mungu Ibrika Africa” (meaning God bless Africa).

Tanzania is endowed with natural resources such as coal, gold which it is the fourth largest producer in Africa. The recent commercial discovery of natural gas at the Songo Songo Offshore field by the partnerships of ExxonMobil, Statoil placed Tanzania in the league of hydrocarbon producing nations of Africa. According to oil and gas journal, Tanzania has about 230billion cubic feet (bcf) of proven natural gas reserves. With this estimate and hope of more discoveries, Tanzania and Mozambique have become the major natural gas producing nations in Africa’s new frontiers. This new stardom is estimated to help to skyrocket the economy of both countries with positive growth of additional 2% by 2017.

With high proven reserves of natural gas and expectation for crude oil discovery, Tanzania is likely to have more gas than it could use domestically. The East African country is drawing up gas monetization programs to put its natural resources into use to help boost local economy by using it to generate power and for other domestic utilizations. Tanzania and Mozambiquewould soon become net gas exporters and gas hubs.

To proclaim the energy perspective and the nation’s forward –looking strategy for the development of their mineral resources, H.E. Prof. Sospeter Muhongo, the minister of energy and mining who will be featuring as a keynote speaker in the upcoming 7^th Annual Sub-Saharan Africa Oil and Gas Conference slated for May 1 – 2, at the Marriott Westchase , Houston will present Tanzania’s energy perspective in this forum that would bring national oil companies, international oil companies, investors, financial institutions together in a more harmonious business ambience.

As a nation that has maintained sound geopolitical stability, Tanzania portends the aura of an investors’ paradise. Historically, United Republic of Tanzania was birthed through the merger of Tankayika and Zanzibar in 26^th April, 1964 and in October 29^th of same year the name new United Republic of Tanzania became a reality. Today, Dodoma is the legislative capital of Tanzania, and Dar es Salaam the commercial city. H.E. Jakaya Kiwete is the president of Tanzania.

Tanzania is the heartland of Kilmanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. The new East African gas hub is bordered in the north by Kenya and Uganda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo by the west, Zambia and Mozambique by the south.

Some of the major oil and gas exploitation companies in Tanzania are: ExxonMobil, Statoil, Ophir Energy, Aminex, BG, and Petrodel.

About H.E. Sospeter Muhongo:

H.E.Prof Sospeter Muhongo, a distinguished scholar, is the Minister of Energy and Minerals of the United Republic of Tanzania and a Nominated Member of Parliament. He is, “Officier, Ordre des Palmes Académiques”, an Honorary Fellow of the Geological Society of America (HonFGSA), an Honorary Fellow of the Geological Society of London (HonFGS), an Honorary Research Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (HonFCAGS), a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (FTWAS), a Fellow of the Geological Society of Africa (FGSAf), a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (FAAS) and a Fellow of the Tanzania Academy of Sciences (FTAAS). He is the first recipient (2004) of the Prof Robert Shackleton (UK) Award for Outstanding Research on the Precambrian Geology of Africa.

About the conference:

The objective of this conference is to create a common forum where top government officials, national oil companies from Sub-Saharan Africa, international oil companies, independent exploration, production, service companies, industry top players, investors, financial institutions and private equity firms will meet to exchange ideas, and also showcase available opportunities. It will also create a platform for exhibiting, discussing case studies, best practices, challenges, issues and above all network for optimization of goals in a harmonious environment. If you want to know what’s going on in the burgeoning Sub-Saharan Africa oil and gas market; about E & P updates, upstream, downstream, shale oil and gas potentials of the region, gas monetization plans, new frontier opportunities, marginal oil field and market development, development of offshore and deep, shallow water fields, advancements in technology, reservoir engineering, geology, geophysics, the new players, nascent petroleum laws, upcoming licensing rounds, its geopolitical atmosphere or to plug into the latest business opportunities in the region and network with top government officials, decision makers and industry top players, this conference is for you!

Energy & Corporate Africa

Tanzania’s Energy Perspective: The making of a gas hub