First gas flows at Tanzanian pipeline

Gas began to flow on Thursday from two wells at the Maurel & Prom-operated Mnazi Bay concession in southeastern Tanzania, block partner Wentworth Resources announced on Friday. The gas will be treated at a state-run facility in nearby Madimba, which is the entry point for the newly commissioned, state-operated gas pipeline that spans Tanzania’s coast from Mtwara to Dar-es-Salaam.

Production from Mnazi is expected to reach 1.98 mcm (70 mcf) per day by mid-October, once two addition wells come on stream, and ramp up to 2.27 mcm (80 mcf) per day by the end of 2015.

In September 2014, the Mnazi partners signed a deal with the Tanzanian government to deliver up to 3.68 mcm (130 mcf) of gas per day. Production was originally slated for July 2015, but was delayed subsequent to final commissioning work on the Mtwara-Dar-es-Salaam pipeline.

French upstream company Maurel & Prom owns a 48-percent operating interest in the concession. African-focused UK independent Wentworth Resources holds 32-percent interest, and the state-owned Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation has the remaining 20 percent.

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