BabuK
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- Jul 30, 2008
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Energy and Minerals' deputy minister, George Simbachawene has called on lawyers to be patriotic, when it comes to signing contracts on oil and gas explorations, so that Tanzanians benefit from the country's natural resources.
The minister made the call here over the weekend when addressing lawyers and experts in oil and gas from within and outside the country in a five-day forum on exploration contracts.
"Despite the fact that Tanzania has yet to start drilling oil, there are possibilities to do so in the near future. So our lawyers must be very conversant with these kinds of contracts."
"And when the time comes, you (lawyers) should put forward national interests when signing contracts with multinational companies," the deputy minister cautioned.
Currently, Tanzania uses around 200 million cubic feet of gas a day to run thermal plants, with plans underway to double gas production by the end of 2013.
Other oil and gas exploration companies operating in the country include US giant Exxon Mobil Corp., XOM -0.21percent Australia's Beach Energy Ltd., BPT.AU -1.89percent, France's Total SA FP.FR -1.01percent and London-listed Aminex PLC.
Like other East African countries, Tanzania has been focusing on hydrocarbon exploration after substantial deposits of crude oil were found in Uganda in 2006 and major gas reserves were discovered in Tanzania and Mozambique.
Simbachawene said, "There are companies which are working on exploring oil in the Indian Ocean and as far as Lake Tanganyika. It is prime time for our lawyers to get prepared."
He stated that lawyers are key actors in this area, so they need to be highly involved in at least every stage.
An official from the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), Elias Kilembo said Tanzania is in a very advanced stage when it comes to exploring oil and gas, an idea which necessitated the corporation to create a platform for experts and lawyers to sit together and "see where we are…this includes contracts we've reached."
He said the sector is sensitive and requires win-win situation between the government and investors, adding: "This forum is important at this time when there is an outcry on some of the mining agreements, which are shoddy…to us this is a way forward to address some of those challenges facing the sector."
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
The minister made the call here over the weekend when addressing lawyers and experts in oil and gas from within and outside the country in a five-day forum on exploration contracts.
"Despite the fact that Tanzania has yet to start drilling oil, there are possibilities to do so in the near future. So our lawyers must be very conversant with these kinds of contracts."
"And when the time comes, you (lawyers) should put forward national interests when signing contracts with multinational companies," the deputy minister cautioned.
Currently, Tanzania uses around 200 million cubic feet of gas a day to run thermal plants, with plans underway to double gas production by the end of 2013.
Other oil and gas exploration companies operating in the country include US giant Exxon Mobil Corp., XOM -0.21percent Australia's Beach Energy Ltd., BPT.AU -1.89percent, France's Total SA FP.FR -1.01percent and London-listed Aminex PLC.
Like other East African countries, Tanzania has been focusing on hydrocarbon exploration after substantial deposits of crude oil were found in Uganda in 2006 and major gas reserves were discovered in Tanzania and Mozambique.
Simbachawene said, "There are companies which are working on exploring oil in the Indian Ocean and as far as Lake Tanganyika. It is prime time for our lawyers to get prepared."
He stated that lawyers are key actors in this area, so they need to be highly involved in at least every stage.
An official from the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), Elias Kilembo said Tanzania is in a very advanced stage when it comes to exploring oil and gas, an idea which necessitated the corporation to create a platform for experts and lawyers to sit together and "see where we are…this includes contracts we've reached."
He said the sector is sensitive and requires win-win situation between the government and investors, adding: "This forum is important at this time when there is an outcry on some of the mining agreements, which are shoddy…to us this is a way forward to address some of those challenges facing the sector."
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
