Four international companies signed an agreement with the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) in Mtwara of southern Tanzania to provide services to the oil exploration and gas extraction companies working on the prospective wells, onshore and offshore of Mtwara region, which has huge reserves of natural gas.
The four companies listed are Schlumberger Seaco Inc. of USA, Allus Tanzania Limited in Singapore, Dubai based Trans Ocean Industries and Services and Lenna of Iran.
They will set up infrastructures on the proposed land, for supply of materials and delivering efficient services commensurate with the demands from Tanzania as well as neighboring countries like Mozambique, Kenya and South Africa.
Three more companies, equally competent and professional, are also expected to sign the agreement on next week.
Requirement for the support base facilities was long due (since 2010) as the exploration giants working in the region, like the British Gas of UK and Statoil of Norway, requested for the same to help smooth and efficient operation of their activities, based on which, EPZA started developing an oil field supply base in 10-ha Freeport zone as part of the investment plan in the 110-ha area in Mtwara (Tanzania).
In a news conference held recently during the signing ceremony, Dr. Adelhelm Meru, the director general of EPZA, informed that the event is an important step towards the process of development of the much awaited (since 2010) oil field supply base.
