Tanzania announces gas discovery at Mnazi Bay

Tanzania has announced a natural gas discovery at the Kasa-1X ST2 well located in the offshore Mnazi Bay block. The discovery, reported on October 27, marks the country's first major gas find since 2015.

Estimates regarding the volume of the find vary between sources. The Tanzanian government estimates the volume at 223 billion cubic feet, while the operator, Maurel & Prom, reported an estimate of approximately 200 billion cubic feet. Maurel & Prom noted that 120 billion cubic feet corresponds to its 60 percent interest in the permit.

The well was drilled by the state-owned Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) in partnership with the French company Maurel & Prom. The discovery is situated in the Mtwara region, an area where gas production and infrastructure already exist to supply the domestic market, including power plants operated by TANESCO.

While the discovery is considered encouraging, officials noted that these figures do not yet constitute proven reserves or certified recoverable volumes. The commercial potential and the exact amount of extractable gas remain to be determined.