Oil & Gas

The Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) has announced significant progress in oil and natural gas exploration, development, and production under Tanzania's Sixth Phase Government led by President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan. This was revealed on May 19, 2025, by PURA’s Director General, Engineer Charles Sangweni, during a meeting with editors and journalists held in Dar es Salaam.

Among the key achievements mentioned were the issuance of a development license for the Ntorya discovery area, the rehabilitation of five natural gas production wells, seismic data acquisition in the Ruvu and Ruvuma blocks, and preliminary geological, geophysical, and geochemical studies for oil and gas exploration. “These activities have boosted gas production and strengthened Tanzania’s upstream petroleum sector,” said Engineer Sangweni.

PURA has also enhanced its oversight functions by auditing production sharing contracts, increasing Tanzanian participation in upstream projects, and improving regulatory systems through updated legal frameworks and guidelines. “Local participation in petroleum upstream projects has more than doubled due to improved oversight,” he added.

Regarding gas production, Engineer Sangweni stated that between March 2021 and March 2025, a total of 301.33 billion cubic feet of natural gas was produced. He further noted that over TZS 340 billion has been recovered and returned to the revenue-sharing account through contract cost audits carried out by PURA.