Tanzania Ups Gas Reserves to 55Tcf

Tanzania's current natural gas reserves have seen a significant increase in the past one year following new offshore discoveries, Reuters news agency reported citing a statement by country’s energy minister.

"As a result of ongoing exploration activity, natural gas resources discovered in the country rose from 46.5 tcf in June 2014 to 55.08 tcf in April 2015, equivalent to an increase of 18 percent," George Simbachawene, Tanzania's energy and minerals minister, said in a presentation to parliament on Saturday.

Tanzania in October raised its estimate of recoverable natural gas resources to up to 53.2 tcf, Reuters added.

Simbachawene further stated that a pipeline connecting offshore natural gas fields to Tanzania's commercial capital Dar es Salaam would be commissioned in September, ahead of the energy ministry's previous estimates of November.

"The commercial operational date of gas processing plants and the pipeline has now been set at September 2015," he said.