Author: HILDA MHAGAMA
AfricaPress-Tanzania: The Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) in collaboration with energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (eWURA) is in the final stage of preparing a national database for service suppliers, investors and contractors in the oil and gas industries, who would want to trace details and opportunities in the industry to exploit.
PURA Acting Director General, Charles Sangweni, told the ‘Daily News’ at the ongoing 44th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF) that the database will assist those who want to know details on opportunities along the oil and gas value chain for international and national investors.
“We are currently working together with eWURA to create that database but in the future, we shall separate it since, the two authorities serve different purposes,” he explained.
Regarding local content in oil and gas projects in Tanzania, he said that aspect is of paramount importance for the country’s economy and prosperity, due to the fact that it employs several locals, who buy local goods and services, besides technology transfer, skills/knowledge acquisition and value addition in the country.
He said to ensure the optimum participation of locals in the Petroleum value chain, the Petroleum Act, 2015 section 219 and 220 are provisions, which narrates on consideration of goods and services supplied by Tanzanian entrepreneurs as well as training and employment of locals.
However, eng Sangweni called upon experts in the sector to update their licenses especially in the technological aspect for them to participate fully in such opportunities.
PURA Board of Directors Chairperson, Prof Gaspar Mhinzi said the authority was established under Section 11 of the Petroleum Act, 2015.
“The authority was established following the need for prudent management of the petroleum resources and to ensure cost-effective operations to safeguard the government interests and meeting public expectations,” he said.
Prof Mhinzi further said PURA was established to ensure efficient and effective legal, regulatory and institutional framework to oversee the petroleum operations in the subsector.
He said major roles of PURA include advising the government on proposed development plans, infrastructure development, tail end plan and decommissioning of installations submitted by a licence holder.
Others he said are promoting local content including supporting national enterprises and Tanzanians to participate in the petroleum upstream industry as well as receiving and processing applications for granting, renewing, suspending and cancelling of petroleum exploration licence, development licence and production permit.
As of February 2020, there were about 57.54 trillion cubic feet of natural gas out of that onshore was 10.41 tcf and 47.13 tcf offshore.
