Tanzania's Mnazi Bay Ticks Over

French affiliate Maurel & Prom, now controlled by Indonesian state Pertamina, released 1Q turnover and production on April 27.

Its Tanzanian net gas output was 20.8mn ft³/d, almost the same as the full year 2016 average, but 9% below its 22.8mn ft³/d in 1Q2016.

That represents M&P’s equity share of 48.06% of Mnazi Bay gasfield production, currently around 43mn ft³/d at 100%. That itself is well below the field’s production capacity of around 80mn ft³/d. Production levels depends on gas consumption by industries and power plants in the capital Dar Es Salaam which is routed through Tanzanian state TPDC buying from the operator, said M&P. 

Both M&P and its Mnazi Bay partner Wentworth Resources had been hoping for higher gas sales by now.

The gas price realised by M&P, in line with its contract with TPDC, increased by 2% year on year to $3.18/mn Btu in 1Q2017.

M&P’s worldwide sales figure was 57% higher year on year at $90mn in 1Q2017, thanks to higher prices paid for its oil production in Gabon, although the latter’s production volume was 2% lower.

Contract talks in Cameroon

UK-listed Victoria Oil & Gas, a small gas producer near the Cameroon port city of Douala, said April 27 it was continuing negotiations with local utility Eneo, and continuing to sell gas to it at normal rates, despite a two-year contract between VOG and Eneo having lapsed on April 22.

Mark Smedley