UAE based energy firm Dodsal Group has reportedly discovered $8bn worth of natural gas reserves in Tanzania.
The firm discovered 2.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas deposits at a field in the Ruvu Basin located about 50km west of Dar es Salaam.
Claimed to be Tanzania’s biggest onshore gas discovery, the new find is estimated to boost total recoverable natural gas reserves in the country to more than 57 trillion cubic feet (TCF).
Dodsal Group chairman and president Rajen Kilachand said: "It’s a game changer, this will change the economy of the country.
"The sheer size and the scale will give us a huge capital in the years to come to go in to strengthen our current activities, go into exploration and production worldwide."
Kilachand added that the onshore gas discovery is expected to help eliminate the fuel import bills.
In order to support exploration and production activities at the field, the company plans to invest an additional $300m over the next two years in the country. Dodsal has already invested $200m in the project.
The future work scope also includes implementation of an early production system with gas production planned to commence by the first quarter of 2018.
Kilachand said: "Tanzania has tremendous potential in the hydrocarbon sector. When efficiently leveraged, this will bring incremental economic growth by assuring timely and ready supply of clean energy.
"We are fully committed to supporting the nation in this journey, underlined by nine years of natural gas exploration that we have been undertaking."
Additionally, Dodsal reported discovery of a large gas column in third well at Mbuyu in Tanzania. The column is estimated to hold up to 5.9 TCF of gas.
Studies of the deposit are currently being carried out by the firm.
Image: Dodsal expects the new gas discovery to help eliminate the fuel import bills. Photo: courtesy of suwatpo/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net.