Tanzania warned on gas search risks

INDIAN OCEAN : Off-shore Tanzania exploration picked after 1999.

DAR ES SALAAM, The Tanzania government has been advised to keep a close eye on the many oil and gas exploration activities, because any lapse could mean a severe environmental hazard.

Carlos Mbuta, the Principal Environmental Management Officer at National Environment Management Council (NEMC) was recently presenting a paper titled, ‘Social and environmental challenges of gas development in Tanzania’.

Mbuta told East African Business Week the major areas of environmental concern include the impact on the ecosystem, atmospheric and aquatic.

“I would like to take this opportunity to ask the government to keep a close eye on oil and gas exploration activities so as to preserve among other things, the seafloor which may lead to fish disappearance,” Mbuta said.

He said the extraction of oil and gas is a major activity and the industry operates under complex and diverse environmental and social issues.

He said the exploration of oil and gas could either boost or undermine countries’ progress depending on how the boom is managed.

“The search for rock formations with oil or natural gas deposits after the geographical prospecting involves, blasting and or exploratory drilling, he said, adding this may lead to seafloor disturbance from drilling template installation, accidental oil/gas or non-petroleum releases,” he said.

He said the major impact of waste streams arises from the toxicity, high pH and salt content of chemicals used as drilling fluids. The result is often pollution of ground and surface waters.

The exploration for oil and gas in the deep offshore Tanzania took off in the big way in 1999.

By Leonard Magomba, Monday, February 24th, 2014


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