Arusha. Ongoing exploration in the Eyasi-Wembere Basin, a strategic project seeking oil and gas deposits within the East African Rift Valley, has revealed strong indications of potential petroleum reserves.
This was disclosed by the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, Dr James Mataragio, during his inspection visit to the project site in Karatu District, Arusha Region.
Dr Mataragio said the research, which began in 2015, has involved the systematic collection and analysis of geological data pointing to the presence of oil-bearing rock formations.
“The exploration work started in 2015, and we have been gathering various data related to the existence of oil and gas. After detailed analysis, we are now confident that there are rock layers within this basin capable of storing oil,” he said.
He explained that the preliminary data collection phase, which involved aerial surveys and shallow drilling, cost approximately Sh8 billion.
The first phase of seismic data acquisition, covering 260 kilometres, cost around Sh10 billion.
The second phase of the survey, which covers 914 kilometres, is estimated to cost Sh43 billion.
So far, 430 kilometres—equivalent to 47 percent of the total—have been completed.
According to Dr Mataragio, the potential discovery of oil within the basin would be a major boost to the country’s energy security and economy.
“If the exploration confirms commercial quantities of oil, it will reduce our dependency on imported petroleum products and help conserve foreign exchange currently used to purchase fuel abroad,” he added.
He also noted that since the project began, nearly 90 percent of the personnel engaged in the exploration activities have been Tanzanians, underscoring the government’s commitment to local participation in the energy sector.
After inspecting the project, Dr Mataragio directed the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) and the contractor, AGS Company, to ensure the work is completed before April next year and to continue operations even during the rainy season.
For his part, the TPDC Director of Exploration, Development and Production, Geologist Paschal Njiko, confirmed that TPDC is leading the ongoing exploration work in the Eyasi-Wembere Basin as part of efforts to expand the country’s domestic energy resource base.
