Tanzania has discovered approximately 223 billion cubic feet of natural gas in the Mnazi Bay region in the south of the country, Energy Minister Juma Homera announced on Tuesday, 27 October.

According to Reuters, the discovery was made at the Kasa-1X ST2 well, which is being developed jointly by the state-owned Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and French oil company Maurel & Prom.

The find marks the country’s first natural gas discovery in more than ten years, according to the minister, at a time when Tanzania is seeking to strengthen its energy supply capacity.

Homera stated that the two companies drilled three wells — designated MB-5, MS-2, and Kasa-1X ST2 — which are expected to contribute to increasing the availability of natural gas in the domestic market.

Maurel & Prom indicated that initial gas production could begin as early as November, opening the way for the new reserves to be incorporated into the country’s supply system.

In parallel, the TPDC is in negotiations with four investors interested in developing small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) production projects, the minister revealed.

Prior to the new discovery, Tanzania’s identified natural gas reserves were estimated at approximately 57.5 trillion standard cubic feet, according to data from the sector’s energy regulator.