Tanzania May Begin LNG Exports by 2018

Tanzania will most likely start exporting LNG by 2018, earlier than initially thought.

"It will be earlier by a few years before 2020, we would like to see exports by 2018," Sospeter Muhongo, Tanzania's energy and minerals minister, said on the sidelines of the World Energy Congress in Daegu, Wall Street Journal reported.

Muhongo said the cost of the LNG plant to be built by Statoil and BG Group had yet to be determined.

East Africa, especially Tanzania and Mozambique have in recent years discovered large amounts of offshore natural gas and want to exploit the energy resource to boost their respective economies and benefit their people.

However, both these countries are struggling with inadequate, even as more gas comes onto the world market, making it imperative that any LNG development plans and export contracts are finalized as soon as possible, Wall Street Journal said.

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