Tanzania has discovered an ​estimated 223 billion cubic feet of ‌natural gas in the Mnazi Bay area in the south of the country, its ​energy minister announced on Tuesday.

Energy ​minister Juma Homera said the reserves ⁠were found at the Kasa-1X ST2 ​well, explored jointly by state-owned Tanzania Petroleum ​Development Corporation (TPDC) and French oil company Maurel & Prom

The find is Tanzania’s first gas discovery in ​more than 10 years

Homera said ​that TPDC and Maurel & Prom had drilled three ‌wells — ⁠MB-5, MS-2 and Kasa-1X ST2 — that would help to boost the country’s gas supply

Maurel & Prom has said that first ​gas production ​could ⁠start as early as next month

Homera said TPDC was already in ​talks with four investors planning ​small-scale ⁠liquefied natural gas projects

Before the latest announcement, Tanzania’s discovered reserves stood at about ⁠57.5 ​trillion standard cubic feet, ​according to the energy regulator

Photo: Facebook/Juma Zuberi Homera