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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Beach Petroleum, who holds acreage in Tazania’s Lake Tanganyika, is sure to face some tough challenges in its exploration program as local residents are not behind drilling for oil in the region. A report in the Tanzania Daily News said a story is being spread by residents from villages along the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Nkasi District, that Beach (during a survey) used the MV Mwongozo to extract huge quantities of minerals from the lake's bed and made away with them.
Beach’s country manager, Marcus Mng'ong'o said in the article: "It is very sad that even after holding several meetings with residents of villages along the shores of the lake particularly in Nkasi district, they continue to spread baseless reports that soldiers are using MV Mwongozo to deprive them minerals extracted deep down the lake. The story is not true at all, the truth is we are still exploring oil and gas in Lake Tanganyika and at times we used MV Mwongozo during the exercise and not otherwise, the big challenge we are currently facing is lack of understanding among the residents.”
Beach says the surveys carried out to date show visible signs of oil in Lake Tanganyika, but it was too early to officially announce it until the extraction from the first drilled well starts. The company’s studies are expected to be completed in 2015-2016 and any production from the locale would be far down the road.
To reassure villagers in the region Beach, along with TPDC, hosted a one-day workshop that attracted local dignitaries from 34 villages along the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Nkasi district. The workshop was aimed at educating on the current oil and exploration activities carried out in the area and to assure them there is no extraction of crude taking place.
The Nkasi District Commissioner Iddy Kimanta called upon the people in the area to be patient and cooperate with the investors whose undertaking will be of great advantage not only to the district, but also to the whole nation at large.
"I take this opportunity to assure residents in the district particularly those living along the shore of Lake Tanganyika that so far there is no oil or gas being extracted from the lake, the company is only carrying out oil and gas exploration," added Kimanta.
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