Tanzania Seeks Strategies to Revitalize Petroleum Exploration Activities

The Ministry of Energy, through the Permanent Secretary in charge of Oil and Natural Gas, Dr. James Mataragio, met with the Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority (PURA) to discuss strategies for enhancing and strengthening petroleum exploration in the country.

The meeting, held on March 12, 2026, in Dar es Salaam, was attended by the Assistant Commissioner for Petroleum from the Ministry of Energy, Engineer Antelimi Raphael; the Director General of PURA, Engineer Charles Sangweni; and several senior officials from both the Ministry of Energy and PURA.

Speaking at the opening, Dr. Mataragio emphasized that petroleum exploration is a critical area in the oil and gas sector that requires renewed focus, given the significant decline in such activities in recent years.

“In the past, oil and natural gas exploration in the country was vibrant and advancing at a rapid pace. At one point, there were more than 26 Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs); today, that number has fallen to just 11.”

“And if we look closely, even among the remaining PSAs, only a few companies are actively fulfilling their obligations to continue oil and natural gas exploration. This situation is far from satisfactory. We must devise and implement strategies to stimulate and revitalize exploration activities in the country,” said Dr. Mataragio.

He noted that the slowdown in exploration activities poses a threat to the security of the country’s natural gas supply, since exploration is the catalyst for new discoveries that ultimately lead to natural gas production.

“We are determined to dedicate our full efforts in this area and create an enabling environment for petroleum exploration activities in the country can thrive.”

For his part, Eng. Charles Sangweni noted that PURA has continued to implement a range of initiatives aimed at advancing petroleum exploration activities in the country.

Such strategies include entering into agreements with Multi-Client Geophysical Companies to undertake petroleum exploration.

On the same day, Mataragio directed the Management of the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC) to strengthen investment in the natural gas sector by adding new investment blocks to attract more investors in oil and gas exploration and production activities in the country.

He also instructed TPDC Management to carefully supervise the implementation of natural gas projects, noting that these are important in enhancing access to reliable energy, especially in electricity production and promoting the industrial economy.